Knowledge, Prevalence, and Willingness to Donate Oocytes among Female Undergraduate Students at a Tertiary Institution in Rivers State

BACKGROUND: Oocyte donation is a vital part of assisted reproductive technology and is therefore an important treatment modality for infertility. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, prevalence and willingness to donate oocytes among female undergraduate students at a tertiary institution in Rivers State. METHODS: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study using a multi-stage sampling technique and a structured self-administered questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire was completed by 372 female students of the University of Port Harcourt, all of them less than 35 years old. The data was analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (version 25) and represented in tables. P values of ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The majority, 253 (68%) of the respondents, were between the ages of 18-22, and 362 (97.3%) were single. A total of 336 (90.3%) had heard about oocyte donation, and about three-quarters, 275 (73.9%) of the respondents had excellent knowledge concerning oocyte donation. The prevalence of oocyte donation was extremely low: 5 (1.3%). Only 92 (24.7%) of the respondents were willing to donate their oocytes, and the major factor influencing oocyte donation was financial gain. There was no relationship between knowledge of oocyte donation and socio-demographic characteristics and willingness to donate oocytes. CONCLUSION: The majority of respondents were informed about oocyte donation but hesitant to participate. For those willing to donate, their main incentive was financial compensation. This underscores the necessity to promote more altruistic donations among these individuals.