Perspectives on egg donation in Kazakhstan
Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Oocyte Donation (Chalova, 2025)
Chalova, L., Lokshin, V., Kiyan, V., Turdaliyeva, B., Zhybanisheva, K., & Kinzhibayev, A. (2025). Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Oocyte Donation. Iran Journal of Public Health, 54(3), 607-614.
Geographic Region: Kazakhstan and six other countries (specific other countries not identified in the article)
Research Question: What are attitudes about the use of sex gamete donation in assisted reproductive technologies among different social groups, including medical workers, oocyte recipients, and oocyte donors?
Design: This was a cross-sectional survey study using questionnaires administered via Google forms for five months in 2021. The researchers collected data from three distinct groups: medical workers, oocyte recipients, and oocyte donors. The study employed both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and Cramer's V coefficient to measure associations between variables.
Sample: 286 participants across three groups:
190 medical workers from ART clinics (80% female, 19.5% male), including obstetrician-gynecologists (83), embryologists (50), ART clinic heads (36), andrologist-urologists (8), and others (13).
45 oocyte recipients aged 37 years and older (37.5% were 37-41 years old and 62.5% were 42+ years).
51 oocyte donors aged 18-35 years (all had children of their own).
Key Findings
The perceived main motive for oocyte donation across all groups was financial compensation (reported by 80-82% of respondents).
80% of medical workers supported the use of programs tracking donor eggs and limiting the use of oocyte donors.
Doctors and patients disagree about telling spouses about using donor eggs. Most doctors (86%) believe the spouse should know, but many recipients (44%) don't want to tell their partners.
Most donors (55%) preferred to remain anonymous. Half of the donors had thought about possibly meeting children born from their donations someday.
Limitations: The sample size, particularly for oocyte recipients (45) and donors (51), was relatively small. The researchers did not conduct in-depth qualitative interviews, which might have provided more nuanced insights into participants' attitudes and experiences. Cultural and language barriers might have affected the quality of responses and their interpretation. The study relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to social desirability bias.
Applications
Results show differing attitudes about disclosure to spouses and children, indicating a need for better counseling about the long-term implications of these decisions.
Findings reveal concerns about anonymity and data protection that should be addressed in donor recruitment and counseling.
Funding Source: LLP "M1" Health and Science Center.
Lead Author: Leila Chalova is affiliated with the LLP "M1" Health and Science Center in Astana and the Higher School of Public Health at Kazakhstan Medical University, specializing in reproductive health research.
Regulatory Context
The primary legislative instruments are the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Public Health and the Healthcare System" and the Code "On Marriage (Matrimony) and Family."
Married couples, both registered and unregistered, as well as single women, are permitted to access ART services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and gamete donation.
Donors must be between 18 and 35 years old, in good physical and mental health, and have undergone comprehensive medical and genetic examinations to ensure the safety and health of both donors and recipients. Married donors are required to obtain written consent from their spouses before participating in donation programs.
Donations can be anonymous or non-anonymous.
Donation is voluntary and can be conducted with or without compensation, adhering to ethical standards that prohibit the commercialization of human gametes.
A single donor's gametes may be used to achieve up to 10 live births, after which their use is discontinued to maintain genetic diversity and prevent consanguinity.