P-458 Egg donation in the Czech Republic: Responsibility of ART clinics in the provision of information to potential egg donors
Authors: Dostálová A , Fialová J , Konečná H , Güell F 
Published: June 2023

Study question

Do ART clinics’ websites provide sufficient information for potential egg donors regarding all aspects related to donation?

Summary answer

There is an imbalance of information provided online by ART clinics. The benefits exceed the potential side effects and risks associated with donation.

What is known already

There is high demand for egg donors in the Czech Republic due to the extreme interest of international couples in ART procedures, e.g. because of the affordability of the treatment, the lack of a waiting list or the extended age limit for recipients up to 49 years. Thus, for a population of approximately 10.5 million, there are more than 40 clinics specializing in reproductive medicine in the country.

Study design, size, duration

In this research, all information available on ART clinics’ websites for egg donors was analyzed. Each clinic has a different advertising and marketing strategy, and in this work, we will compare the information provided by public and private clinics regarding the egg donation process. Five themes have emerged for the analysis: 1. General information 2. Legislation, 3. Benefits, 4. Risks, 5. Advertisement. The duration of this research was 4 months.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

A quantitative-qualitative analysis of recruitment strategies of IVF centers in the Czech Republic (29 unique clinic websites, 12 of which were specifically designed for marketing purposes) based on 16 criteria reflecting different donor needs.

Main results and the role of chance

In the case of donor recruitment, there are registered websites with predominantly suggestive slogans, emotive photos, and only positive stories of donors highlighting psychological, health, or financial benefits. The exact amount of remuneration (20.000 - 33.000 CZK) was specified by 89.7 % of clinics. The lower and upper limit are not regulated by law in the Czech Republic. ART clinics set the limit themselves to attract more donors by offering higher financial compensation and other benefits. This causes a huge imbalance between bigger and smaller ART clinics causing donor recruitment to become the focus of marketing strategies. The potential risks associated with donation were found in only 51,7 % of clinics’ websites. Not only is this an important question of legal noncompliance, but the misinformation may also cause disappointment and feelings of betrayal among donors. It may also result in the emergence of anti-campaigns, impacting the number of donors and devaluing donation in general. Therefore, there is a need to find a compromise between marketing strategies and providing a complete, transparent, and truly informative picture for potential donors in advance of the donation program.

Limitations, reasons for caution

We analyzed all ART providers that presented their facility online, focussing on both private and public providers. Public providers had very little information available about ART treatments in general let alone donor programs, so minimal information was available.

Wider implications of the findings

We believe that it's crucial to inform all donors not only about benefits associated with donation but also of potential risks, so they can make an informed decision about donation and also about their reproductive health and future parenthood.

Trial registration number

TL05000144