Oocyte Donation Pregnancies- Non-Disclosure of Oocyte Recipient Status to Obstetric Care Providers and Perinatal Outcomes

Background: Oocyte donation pregnancies- non-disclosure of oocyte recipient (OR) status to obstetric care providers and perinatal outcomes.Many studies report a higher rate of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and severe pre-eclampsia (PET) in OR pregnancies. The objective is to determine the rates of non-disclosure of OR pregnancy to obstetric care providers and also the rates of perinatal complications. Method: This was a retrospective review of all oocyte recipient (OR) pregnancies, who subsequently delivered at Cork University Maternity Hospital, between 2007- 2012 inclusive. Obstetric case notes were reviewed to investigate perinatal outcomes and whether OR status had been documented (unambiguously, in code or not at all). Results: Less than one-third (30.2%; n=32/106) had unambiguous documentation, one-third (33%; n=35/106) had no documentation and the remainder (36.8%; n=39/106) had a code familiar only to their obstetrician. There was a high rate of gestational hypertensive disorders (28.3%; n= 30), most frequently occurring with multiple gestation. Discussion: There was a low rate of clear documentation of OR status. Gestational hypertensive disorders occurred with increased frequency.