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Oocyte Donation: Legal Aspects

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Third-Party Reproduction

Abstract

In vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor egg is a widely practiced treatment option for various types of infertility issues. Legal protections for donors and the recipients of donor eggs are not uniform across the states, and, in most places, there are no laws that mandate parentage or other rights of the parties. The sperm donor paradigm affords basic structure to the management of egg donation, but significant differences between egg and sperm donation strain the application. Professional association guidelines, established procedures, and contracts among the parties provide strategies for best practice in this area. Scientific advancements, notably egg freezing, offer new potential, but carry with them the added responsibility of increased diligence in informed consent discussions, record keeping, and adherence to guidelines and applicable laws.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    At the time of this writing, states that have statutes are CO LA, ND, OK, OR, TX, UT, VA, WA, WY, CA, NY, and FL.

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Correspondence to Margaret E. Swain R.N., J.D. .

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Swain, M.E. (2014). Oocyte Donation: Legal Aspects. In: Goldfarb, J. (eds) Third-Party Reproduction. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7169-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7169-1_2

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