The main aim of this research was to explore the experience of known egg donation in order to identify the psychosocial issues involved. Previous research into known egg donation remains sparse, with the majority of studies focusing on the psychological aspects of treatment, providing largely quantitative information about the practice. In addition to the purely psychological, the current research acknowledges the importance of social factors, highlighting the psychosocial implications of known egg donation for those involved. The study took a hermeneutic phenomenological approach in an effort to understand and interpret participants’ experience of known egg donation through the use of language during interviews. The research was conducted in two distinct phases. During Phase One, semi-structured interviews were conducted with counsellors in UK licensed treatment centres and analysed using a version of thematic analysis. During Phase Two, known egg donors, recipients and the partners of recipients were interviewed in-depth and analysed using a voice-centred relational approach. Following the identification of a number of key themes, the data collected during both phases were synthesized to enable the identification of the psychosocial implications of known egg donation. The main findings highlighted the importance of negotiating relationships before, during and after the donation. Key psychosocial issues identified are: the existence of pressure (both overt and covert) within the donor-recipient relationship, defining and maintaining clear relationship boundaries, involvement of male partners, relationship changes, and a continued renegotiation of relationships in the longer-term. The psychosocial implications identified emphasise the need for counsellors to: adopt a relationally-focused approach within their work, promote the best interests of the families involved, work with all those involved in the donation throughout the donation process and beyond, encourage ongoing discussion surrounding the implications of secrecy and disclosure, and ensure consistency of psychosocial care.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:515933 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Martin, Nina Marie |
| Contributors | Deery, Ruth ; Cameron, Chris |
| Publisher | University of Huddersfield |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/2981/ |
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