JBRA Assisted Reproduction 2025;29(Suppl.2 SBRA 2025):92
Poster Presentation
29^th Annual Congress of the SBRA. São Paulo/SP - Brazil, 2025
doi: 10.5935/1518-0557.20263679

P-80. Embryo Donation: Motivations and Emotional Experiences of Donors

Cássia Cançado Avelar¹, Ariana Carvalho¹, Luciana Campomizzi Calazans¹, Erica Becker Sousa Xavier¹, Ricardo Mello Marinho¹, João Pedro Junqueira Caetano¹

¹ Clínica Huntington Pró-Criar - Belo Horizonte - MG – Brasil

Objective: Embryo donation presents unique challenges for donors and raises clear moral and ethical dilemmas for psychologists. Yet, these professionals still have limited empirical evidence to guide their practice. Once a couple or patient achieves the desired pregnancy, the issue of what to do with the remaining embryos becomes latent. What are the options? Another transfer? Keep them frozen? Discard them? Donate them to infertile individuals or couples? When couples decide to definitively end their parenting journey, the symbolic representation of the embryo becomes a key factor influencing the fate of their cryopreserved embryos. This study aimed to understand the motivations behind donating embryos to others and the emotions experienced in making that choice.
Methods: A retrospective psychological analysis was conducted on patients who underwent in vitro fertilization treatment from March to October 2023, became pregnant, and had embryos frozen.
Results: 90 patients/couples were evaluated regarding their decisions about the fate of their cryopreserved embryos. 10% opted to donate their frozen embryos. 6 couples (6.7%) chose donation after having children. 2 couples (2.2%) initially intended to donate but were unable to proceed due to the patient's age at the time of treatment. 1 couple (1.1%) wished to donate but could not due to an altered karyotype in one of the spouses. The testimonies of individuals who chose to donate reveal the profound emotional complexity underlying their decision: "I will feel at peace knowing I can give another woman the chance to realize her dream of becoming a mother, just like I did." "We had two frozen embryos and wanted to donate them. Just as we received help, we'd like to help someone else fulfill their desire to have a child." "We decided to donate them, with hearts full of hope that another couple can achieve pregnancy and have the children they long for." "I can't accept discarding the embryos, and I also can't have more children. I will donate them, and I'm sure they will find a loving home." "Donation was easy for us. We chose a sperm donor and had our long-desired children. By donating the remaining embryos, we can help another couple." "For me, it's very simple. I have no doubt that the best choice is to give the frozen embryos the chance to come to life."
Conclusion: In order to support patients navigating this complex decision-making process, it is crucial to examine the symbolic significance attributed to the embryo. Establishing a reflective space for each partner facilitates a deeper understanding of the embryo's meaning, thereby promoting deliberate and informed choices that are consistent with their individual values and lived experiences.