TY - JOUR
T1 - Oocyte or ovarian tissue banking: decision-making in women aged 35 years or older facing age-related fertility decline
AU - Balkenende, Eva M. E.
AU - van Rooij, Floor B.
AU - van der Veen, Fulco
AU - Goddijn, Mariëtte
PY - 2020/8
Y1 - 2020/8
N2 - Research question: Women who face age-related fertility decline have the option to safeguard future reproductive potential by banking oocytes or ovarian tissue. What are the methods that women prefer and what factors are important in their decision-making? Design: Qualitative interview study, participants were recruited through monthly information sessions at a university hospital on oocyte banking, postings on social media, websites and newsletters and snowball sampling. Women had to be aged 35 years or older, single, childless and with a possible future desire for motherhood. Key concepts of the Health Belief Model were used as framework for the analyses. Results: In total, 15 women participated in this qualitative study. For oocyte banking, they mentioned chances of success, extra time and faith in the technique and healthcare professionals as benefits. Risks for themselves or future children and costs were considered to be barriers in decision making. For ovarian tissue banking, the chances of success, the possibility of natural conception, the time investment and effect on menopausal symptoms were seen as benefits, and lack of experience and lack of information were considered barriers for themselves or their future children. Overall, they considered the procedures involved in oocyte banking as relatively ‘easy’, whereas ovarian tissue banking was seen as a more invasive procedure. Conclusion: Most women preferred oocyte banking over ovarian tissue banking because of its relative convenience. Future quantitative research in a larger cohort is necessary to confirm the findings and provide more insight into the relative importance of the different factors influencing women's decision.
AB - Research question: Women who face age-related fertility decline have the option to safeguard future reproductive potential by banking oocytes or ovarian tissue. What are the methods that women prefer and what factors are important in their decision-making? Design: Qualitative interview study, participants were recruited through monthly information sessions at a university hospital on oocyte banking, postings on social media, websites and newsletters and snowball sampling. Women had to be aged 35 years or older, single, childless and with a possible future desire for motherhood. Key concepts of the Health Belief Model were used as framework for the analyses. Results: In total, 15 women participated in this qualitative study. For oocyte banking, they mentioned chances of success, extra time and faith in the technique and healthcare professionals as benefits. Risks for themselves or future children and costs were considered to be barriers in decision making. For ovarian tissue banking, the chances of success, the possibility of natural conception, the time investment and effect on menopausal symptoms were seen as benefits, and lack of experience and lack of information were considered barriers for themselves or their future children. Overall, they considered the procedures involved in oocyte banking as relatively ‘easy’, whereas ovarian tissue banking was seen as a more invasive procedure. Conclusion: Most women preferred oocyte banking over ovarian tissue banking because of its relative convenience. Future quantitative research in a larger cohort is necessary to confirm the findings and provide more insight into the relative importance of the different factors influencing women's decision.
KW - Age-related fertility decline
KW - Fertility preservation
KW - Oocyte banking
KW - Ovarian tissue banking
KW - Patient preferences
KW - Qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087039657&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.04.017
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.04.017
M3 - Article
C2 - 32600943
SN - 1472-6483
VL - 41
SP - 271
EP - 278
JO - Reproductive BioMedicine Online
JF - Reproductive BioMedicine Online
IS - 2
ER -