Oocyte donor screening: the selection process and cost analysis

Objective: To evaluate the selection process and cost of screening oocyte donors. Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: University-based IVF program. Patient(s): Potential oocyte donors. Intervention(s): Outcomes of all inquiries by individuals responding to recruitment advertisements for oocyte donors over a 10-month period were assessed. Recruitment and screening costs to bring a single donor into the program were calculated. Main Outcome Measure(s): The attrition rate for each step of the oocyte donor screening process was determined. The costs assessed over the study period included the following: advertisement, administrative, professional, ultrasound, and blood screening. The total cost to bring a single donor into the program was calculated. Result(s): Advertisements led to 315 phone inquiries from potential oocyte donors. Of these, a total of 223 (71%) voluntarily withdrew from the screening process, 54 (17%) were screened out for medical or psychological reasons, and 38 (12%) entered the active donor pool. The total cost to bring a single donor into the program was approximately $1,869. Conclusion(s): There was significant attrition in the screening process for oocyte donation that needs to be taken into account in determining the costs of managing the program.