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Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the mental health problems between parents after oocyte donation treatment, after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) with own gametes and after naturally conceiving (NC)., Material and Methods: This is a prospective, longitudinal questionnaire study. The study group consisted of 26 oocyte donation mothers and their matched IVF/ICSI (n = 52) and NC (n = 52) controls. Matching was performed according to mother's age, parity, type of pregnancy, and number of returned questionnaires. The parents filled-in the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-36) at gestational weeks 18-20 (T1), and at 2 months (T2) and 12 months (T3) after the childbirth., Results: Full response rate (T1-T3) for oocyte donation mothers was 76.9% and for oocyte donation fathers was 73.1%. At T1, no significant differences were found between groups in depression, anxiety, sleeping difficulties, or social dysfunction, but they differed at T2 and T3 in anxiety (T2, P = .02; T3, P = .01), in sleeping difficulties (T2, P = .02; T3, P = .04) and in social dysfunction (T2, P = .01; T3, P = .04). Oocyte donation mothers showed less anxiety than NC mothers (T2, T3), and fewer sleeping difficulties and less social dysfunction than IVF/ICSI (T2, T3) and NC mothers (T2). Mental health problems of oocyte donation fathers did not differ from those of IVF/ICSI and NC control fathers at T1-T3., Conclusions: Oocyte donation mothers showed fewer mental health symptoms in early parenthood compared with IVF/ICSI and NC mothers. No differences were found among mothers during pregnancy and among fathers at any time point., (© 2018 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the level of fear of childbirth, pregnancy-related anxiety and experience of childbirth in women who conceived with donated oocytes (OD), with that in women with in vitro fertilization/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) and spontaneous conception (SC)., Material and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study. We compared women who received donated oocytes (n = 26) to matched controls, IVF/ICSI (n = 52) or SC (n = 52). Matching was made according to mothers' age, parity, plurality and the number of returned questionnaires. The participants completed the questionnaires during their second trimester and at 2 months postpartum. The Fear of Delivery Questionnaire and the Pregnancy Anxiety Scale served to study fear of childbirth, and the Delivery Satisfaction Scale served to study experience of childbirth., Results: The level of fear of childbirth was lower in the women who received donated oocytes than in the women who received IVF/ICSI (p = 0.028), but similar to those in the SC group. The level of pregnancy-related anxiety was lower in the OD group than in the IVF/ICSI (p = 0.006) and SC groups (p = 0.019). The experience of childbirth did not differ between the groups. The mode of delivery was associated with the mothers' satisfaction with the delivery only in the OD group. Those who had an acute operative delivery were the most dissatisfied., Conclusions: After receiving adequate support prior to OD treatment, the women require no more support with fear of childbirth than other pregnant women, but they may require support after acute operative deliveries., (© 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Study Question: What are the short- and long-term health consequences and current satisfaction of altruistic oocyte donors?, Summary Answer: Donating oocytes in the majority (>90%) of donation cycles is not associated with harmful long-term general or reproductive health effects., What Is Known Already: Knowledge of long-term health effects of oocyte donation on donors is sparse and follow-up studies have usually been carried out on commercial donors. Thus far, no major long-term harmful effects have been demonstrated. Most studies have reported a high level of donor satisfaction, but also less favorable experiences have been published., Study Design, Size and Duration: A retrospective cross-sectional survey of all women who had donated oocytes between 1990 and 2012 at three fertility clinics was carried out in spring 2013. A self-administered questionnaire was sent out to a total of 569 former oocyte donors., Participants, Setting, Methods: In all, 428 past donors answered the questionnaire assessing donor's demographic characteristics, short- and long-term medical and psychological experiences and satisfaction related to donations. Of the donors, 87% (371/428) were unknown and 13% (57/428) were known to the recipient. The mean follow-up time after the donation was 11.2 years (range from 0.5 to 23 years) and the mean age of the respondents was 42 years at the time of the study. To learn whether the demographic profile of donors was affected by the Finnish Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) Act of 2007, we divided the 428 respondents into two groups: (i) women whose first donation took place between 1990 and 2007 (79% of the respondents) and (ii) women whose first donation took place between 2008 and 2012 (21% of the respondents). Before 2008, donors were non-identifiable (anonymous) but after 2008 persons born as a result of gamete donation could, from the age of 18, receive on request information identifying the donor., Main Results and the Role of Chance: The response rate was 75% (428/569). The mean age of the donors did not differ between the two time periods, but there was a higher proportion of donors in the youngest age group (20-24 years) and more childless donors (P < 0.05) after 2008 than between 1990 and 2007. Immediate complications occurred in 7.2% (42/582) of the donation cycles and the most common complication was ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in 5.0% (29/582) of the treatments. There were no reports of ovarian or uterine cancer and only one case of breast cancer. After the donation, 11.5% of the donors experienced unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant. Almost all donors (99%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their decision to donate and 95% would warmly recommend it to other women. There were no differences between the known and unknown donors in this respect, or between the two time periods (before or after the ART Act in 2008). Four donors (1%) had regretted donation, and 7% would have wanted to have more support before and 14% after the donation., Limitations, Reason for Caution: Although the response rate was high, 25% of all former donors in the three participating clinics could not be included due to lack of response. The results are based on self-reported assessment of the experiences of former donors, and it is not possible to estimate the influence of recall bias., Wider Implications of the Findings: To our knowledge, this is the largest study of health consequences and satisfaction levels on oocyte donors. Data from this study can be used to inform donor candidates about the medical aspects involved in the treatment and it provides information on how to support these women during and after the donation., Study Funding/competing Interests: This study was supported by grants from the Medical Society Life and Health, and from the Otto A. Malm Foundation. There are no competing interests to report., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To use intrapartum sonography as a tool to investigate the development of the persistent occiput posterior position during labor, as well as to identify parameters correlating with the outcome of labor., Methods: A prospective study of 408 women in labor after 37 weeks' gestation with a singleton fetus in a vertex position using sonography at the onset of labor was performed. Fetal position, placental location, and maternal BMI (body mass index) were recorded. Outcome of labor was monitored for all relevant parameters., Results: Most (68%) of persistent occiput posterior positions develop through a malrotation during labor from an initially occipitoanterior position. Only 32% of persistent cases were occipitoposterior (dorsoposterior) at the onset of labor; operative interventions were required in 87.5% of these. Of the 61 (15%) occipitoposterior positions at the onset of labor, 53 (87%) rotated into an occiput anterior position. Persistent occiput posterior position was more common in the initially occipitoposterior group (P < 0.01, Fisher exact test), and posterior placental locations were fewer (z test, P = 0.05). Also, operative deliveries were more common in the group remaining occipitoposterior throughout labor (P < .01, Fisher exact test). A higher maternal BMI correlated with neonatal weight (P < .01, Pearson correlation), an increase in operative deliveries (P = .032, Pearson correlation), lower Apgar scores at 1 minute (P = .02, Spearman correlation), and increase in posterior placental locations (P = .037, two-tailed t test)., Conclusion: In most cases, persistent occiput posterior position develops through a malrotation and only in a little more than one-third of cases through absence of rotation from an initially occipitoposterior position. Higher maternal BMI correlates with higher fetal weight, increased operative deliveries, lower Apgar scores at 1 minute, and posterior placental locations. Intrapartum sonography proved to be useful in investigating the development of the persistent occipitoposterior position.