The motives and experiences of donor-conceived persons requesting the identity of their sperm donors.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the motives and experiences of donor-conceived persons (DCP) who search for and receive information about their identity-release sperm donor? DESIGN: A qualitative interview study with 29 individuals (21 women, seven men, one non-binary) who were consecutively recruited after having requested information about their sperm donor at five Swedish University hospitals. All participants were conceived after donor insemination to heterosexual couples within an identity-release donation programme. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face or via telephone between September 2016 and November 2019, and transcribed audio recordings were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The motives and experiences of DCP were described in two themes. The theme 'donor information can fill different needs' describes that varying motives, thoughts and feelings are related to searching for and obtaining donor information. Motives ranged from curiosity and a desire for agency over one's conception to hopes of finding a new father. The theme 'navigating donor information in a relational context' describes the process of obtaining donor information as interpersonal, highlighting that the DCP needs to balance the interests of different stakeholders, and that obtaining donor information can challenge the relationship quality with the father. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining the donor's identity has the potential to affect the understanding of DCP of themselves, and to influence relationships within their family in unexpected and challenging ways. Therefore, adequate resources should be allocated to support the growing number of families after identity-release donation.

Negative childbirth experience in relation to mode of birth and events during labour: A mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore descriptions of negative childbirth experience in relation to mode of birth and events during labour. DESIGN: A descriptive study using a convergent mixed methods design. Written responses to open-ended online questions regarding negative childbirth experience were explored using qualitative content analysis. Generated sub-themes were quantified, and stratified on mode of birth and events during labour. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 112 women with low ratings of overall childbirth experience, participating in a randomised controlled trial evaluating internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy in Sweden. Qualitative data were collected before randomisation, three months postpartum. RESULTS: Four sub-themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: Experiencing fear-based emotions, Experiencing physical distress, Being affected by caregivers' and partner's behaviour and Being affected by bad facilities and poor organisation. Only small differences were found when stratifying sub-themes on mode of birth and events during labour. Regardless of mode of birth and events during labour, the childbirth experience was dominated by fear-based emotions. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Mixed-methods analyses demonstrate the challenges in understanding negative childbirth experience in relation to mode of birth and specific events during labour, with results clearly showing the multifaceted nature of this concept. The central role of fear in relation to negative childbirth experience should be considered when designing support during and after labour, to prevent adverse effects of the childbirth experience.

Perceived social support in solo women seeking treatment with donor gametes and in women in heterosexual couples seeking IVF-treatment with own gametes.

Solo motherhood is a family constellation that is becoming increasingly common in high income countries. The demographic characteristics of solo women entering treatment with donated sperm or embryo have been shown to be different from that of cohabiting women. The general importance of perceived social support is frequently amplified when health and quality of life are concerned, and positively affects mental health status, experienced stress, perceived self-efficacy during the transition to parenthood and during parenthood itself. The objective of the present study was to compare demographic characteristics, social network and perceived social support among solo women and cohabiting women awaiting fertility treatment. This objective was explored with a study-specific demographic and background questionnaire as well as through questions on access to practical support and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) assessing different sources of support. This study is a part of a longitudinal prospective multicenter study of solo women who awaited donation treatment in six Swedish public and private fertility clinics and a comparison group of women who were cohabiting/married to male partner and awaited in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment with the couple's own gametes. A total of 670 women were invited and 463 accepted participation (69% response rate); 207 solo women (study group) and 256 cohabiting women (comparison group). The results show significant differences in age, education, and employment between the groups. Solo women were on average 3.6 years older, had a higher level of education, a higher-income profession, and were more frequently working full time. Solo women perceived an equally high degree of social support from their families, significantly higher levels of support from friends and significantly lower support from a significant other compared to cohabiting women. Solo women expected their mother to be the most supportive person in future parenthood, while cohabiting women most often stated their cohabiting partner to fill that role. The study adds to the body of knowledge of solo women as a sociodemographic distinct group going at motherhood alone, stating a high degree of currently perceived and expected social support. The previously studied negative impact that lack of a co-parent might have, may be attenuated by the expected and perceived social support from family and friends.

Negative childbirth experience - what matters most? a register-based study of risk factors in three time periods during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of risk factors representing three different time periods during pregnancy on negative childbirth experience. METHODS: This was a register-based cohort study of 80482 primiparas giving birth to singleton, term infants in Sweden 2013-2018, elective caesarean sections (CS) excluded. Hierarchical logistic regression was performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in three blocks, each representing risk factors from one of three time periods: I) before pregnancy, II) pregnancy, III) childbirth. RESULTS: Of the pre-gestational factors, only poor self-rated health (SRH) remained associated with negative childbirth experience after adjustment for pregnancy- and childbirth-related factors (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.08-1.34). Psychiatric care during pregnancy and fear of childbirth were both associated with negative birth experience (aOR 1.51, 95% CI 1.35-1.69; aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.32-1.70), as were all childbirth-related factors included in the model. Women giving birth operatively vaginally or by unplanned CS under regional anaesthesia had three-fold higher ORs for rating their overall childbirth experience as negative (aOR 3.29, 95% CI 3.04-3.57; aOR 3.07, 95% CI 2.80-3.38). The highest OR, 5.44, was seen among women undergoing unplanned CS under general anaesthesia (95% CI 4.55-6.50). CONCLUSION: The main contributing factors to negative childbirth experience are related to labour and birth, but poor SRH prior to pregnancy, together with psychiatric care during pregnancy and fear of childbirth, place the woman in a vulnerable position, and require extra attention.

National survey of donor-conceived individuals who requested information about their sperm donor-experiences from 17 years of identity releases in Sweden.

STUDY QUESTION: What characterizes the group of donor-conceived (DC) individuals who request information about their identity-release sperm donor in Sweden, and what are their experiences of disclosure, information receipt and donor contact? SUMMARY ANSWER: Following three decades of identity-release donation in Sweden, few DC individuals have requested donor information with varying experiences of information receipt and donor contact. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: In 1985, Sweden was the first country worldwide to enact legislation that gave DC individuals the right to obtain identifying information about their donor. Since then, identity-release gamete donation has become available in many countries but there is limited knowledge about the individuals who request donor information. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A nation-wide cross-sectional survey study was performed at all seven University hospitals that provided donation treatment in Sweden during 1985-2002. During this period only donor insemination to heterosexual couples was permitted. Inclusion criteria were being 18 years of age or older, conceived with donor sperm and having requested information about the donor by December 2020. Recruitment was performed during 2016-2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: A total of 60 individuals had requested information about their donor. Of these, 53 were approached and 40 individuals, representing 34 families, accepted study participation (75% response rate). Participants completed a postal survey with the WHO-10 well-being index and study-specific questions about experiences of disclosure, motivations for requesting donor information, receipt of information, as well as intentions and experiences of donor contact. Independent t-test and chi-square tests were used to compare ratings of participants with early and late disclosure. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE: Of ∼900 DC individuals who had reached adult age, a total of 60 (≈7%) had requested information about the donor. Most of the 40 study participants (78%) made their requests within 2 years after reaching 18 years of age, or following disclosure at later ages (up to 32 years). Several participants had adult DC siblings in the family who had not requested any donor information. All except five participants received identifying information about the donor from the clinic. However, some donors had died or lacked contact information. Among those participants who were able to contact their donor, 41% had done so at the time of the study, while a third of the participants were unsure about potential contact. Several had met the donor in person and a few were in regular contact. About half of the participants had been informed about their donor conception in adolescence or adulthood (age 12-32), and there were significant differences between participants based on age at disclosure. Compared to those with early disclosure, participants with late disclosure were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with the timing of their disclosure (P = 0.021), to react with negative emotions (P < 0.001), and to subsequently contact the donor (P = 0.047). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The limited population available for inclusion resulted in a small sample size, despite a high response rate. In addition, men's lower participation rate must be taken into consideration when interpreting the results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The small number of individuals requesting information about their identity-release sperm donor is surprising. While not all DC individuals appear to be interested in donor information, it is reasonable to assume that some are unaware of their donor conception and thus unable to make informed decisions regarding their genetic origins. During the coming years, young women and men in many countries will become eligible to access identifying information about their donor. In order to meet the needs of these individuals, and to support positive outcomes for all involved parties, it is essential that adequate protocols and resources are developed. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST: Financial support from The Swedish Research Council. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Positioning the donor in a new landscape-mothers' and fathers' experiences as their adult children obtained information about the identity-release sperm donor.

STUDY QUESTION: How do heterosexual parents experience identity-release donation when adult children have obtained information about their sperm donor? SUMMARY ANSWER: Adult offspring's receipt of identifying information about the sperm donor challenged the fathers' role as a parent, which was reflected in how parents positioned the donor in relation to the family. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: An increasing number of countries provide access to treatment with identity-release or 'open-identity' donors. However, there is limited knowledge about how parents experience and manage the situation when adult offspring obtain identifying information about the donor and may even establish contact with him. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This qualitative interview study included 23 parents whose offspring had obtained information about their sperm donor. Interviews were conducted from October 2018 to January 2019. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: A purposive sample of parents (15 mothers and 8 fathers) was recruited via adult offspring, who had requested identifying donor information at five Swedish University hospitals. All participating parents were part of a heterosexual couple who had conceived with sperm from an identity-release donor. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to face or via telephone, and transcribed audio recordings were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The parents expressed diverse experiences related to their parenthood and the presence of the donor after offspring had obtained information about him; these were described in two themes. The theme 'Navigating (in)visible markers of parenthood' describes parenthood as embedded with dichotomous meanings of nature and nurture that parents navigated in relation to social approval. The theme 'Positioning the donor in a new landscape' describes how parents managed the presence of the donor by positioning him at a distance or acknowledging him as a person or even as part of the family, while some struggled to position him, giving rise to ambivalent feelings. The absence of genetic connectedness challenged the father's role as parent, which was reflected in parents' positioning of the donor. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The study was performed within the context of the Swedish legislation on identity-release donation and is based on experiences of heterosexual couples who had used sperm donation and had informed their offspring about their donor conception. This, together with the fact that parents' accounts were predominantly represented by mothers, must be taken into consideration regarding transferability to other populations. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Negotiations of social and genetic parenthood are still present among parents many years after treatment and may resurface when adult offspring obtain the donor's identity. Access of the adult offspring to identifying information about the donor may have unexpected consequences for family relations, including expanding the family to include the donor. Challenges related to male infertility and family dynamics indicate that parents should have access to counseling and support to manage family life with varying genetic linkage within and outside the family unit. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): Financial support was from The Swedish Research Council (Grant 2013-2712). There are no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Self-rated health before pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Sweden: A population-based register study.

BACKGROUND: Poor self-rated health (SRH) at time of childbirth has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, it is not known whether prepregnancy SRH contributes to these outcomes or whether SRH is a proxy for some other factors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the associations between poor SRH before pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. In addition, maternal characteristics associated with SRH before pregnancy were explored. METHODS: A population-based register study encompassing 261 731 deliveries in Sweden between January 2013 and July 2017 was conducted. The associations between poor SRH before pregnancy, rated at first antenatal visit, and the adverse birth outcomes of stillbirth, small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth were investigated with logistic regression analyses and presented as crude (OR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Poor SRH before pregnancy was largely characterized by a history of psychiatric care and was associated with stillbirth (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04-1.79), SGA birth (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.19-1.39), and preterm birth (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.32-1.50). Adjusting for established risk factors for adverse birth outcomes, poor SRH remained associated with SGA birth (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.26) and preterm birth (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.17-1.33), but not with stillbirth (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 0.81-1.43). CONCLUSIONS: SRH assessments could be used in early pregnancy to identify women in need of more extensive follow-up, as SRH appears to capture something beyond currently known risk factors for adverse birth outcomes.

Understanding parents' intention to disclose the donor conception to their child by application of the theory of planned behaviour.

STUDY QUESTION: Does the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) contribute to understanding parents' intention to share information about genetic origin with their donor-conceived child? SUMMARY ANSWER: Parents' intention to start disclosure was associated with beliefs that disclosure would have desired consequences and a desire to act in accordance to societal norms. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Despite a growing consensus on donor-conceived offspring's right to information about their genetic origin, disclosure to the child remains a challenge for many parents, particularly heterosexual couples. TPB has successfully been applied to many health-related contexts and may contribute to increase understanding of parents' decision-making about disclosing the genetic origin to their children. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A cross-sectional survey study of heterosexual couples with children aged 7-8 years following identity-release oocyte donation (OD, n = 83) or sperm donation (SD, n = 113). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The study is part of the prospective longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation. Couples accepted for oocyte or sperm donation treatment at seven fertility clinics were recruited in 2005-2008 and requested to complete four postal surveys in the following 10 years. The present study sample includes heterosexual couples with donor-conceived children aged 7-8 years. Data were collected with the study-specific TPB Disclosure Questionnaire and analysed with path analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: More than half of parents following OD or SD had already disclosed the donor conception to their child (OD 61%, SD 58%). Among parents who had not yet started the disclosure process, the belief that disclosure would have desired consequences (P < 0.05) and a desire to act in accordance to social norms favouring disclosure (P < 0.01) were positively associated with their intention to talk with their child about the donor conception during the upcoming year. In contrast, perceived confidence to talk with the child about his/her genetic origin was found to be negatively associated with the intention to start the disclosure process (P < 0.05). Type of treatment (OD/SD) and the existence or absence of a genetic link to the child were not directly associated with parents' disclosure intentions. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The study was performed with heterosexual couples within the context of the Swedish legislation on identity-release donation, which limits the generalizability to other populations. Also, attrition may have introduced selection bias to the study findings. Future studies using the TPB Disclosure Questionnaire (TPB-DQ) with larger samples are needed to validate this measure. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Application of the theory of planned behaviour highlighted the importance of attitudes and social norms for parents' intention to share information about the donor conception with their child. The present results add to the complexity of disclosure of donor conception, and may contribute to promote open communication and support family life following donor conception. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): Financial support from the Swedish Research Council. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Access to infertility evaluation and treatment in two public fertility clinics and the reasons for withholding it: a prospective survey cohort study of healthcare professionals.

OBJECTIVES: Study the proportion of patients affected by involuntary childlessness who are denied fertility treatment and the reasons behind this in a publicly funded healthcare system. DESIGN: Survey study using prospectively collected information by healthcare professionals. SETTING: Two university-affiliated fertility clinics in Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Single women and couples in heterosexual and homosexual relationships seeking fertility evaluation and treatment between November 2017 and April 2018 (943 individual cases). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and proportion of individuals who were either denied, delayed or granted fertility treatment directly. Furthermore, the reasons behind delaying or completely withholding treatment. RESULTS: The majority of those seeking evaluation were heterosexual couples (75%), while 14% were single women and 7.5% were same-sex couples. The great majority of those undergoing evaluation were granted treatment either directly (85%) or after in-depth evaluation (7.5%), while 7.5% were denied treatment. Among those who were denied treatment, there were a greater proportion of single women and couples seeking treatment with donated gametes. Among heterosexual couples, gamete origin was not associated with treatment refusal. Although age did not differ between those granted and denied treatment, a higher body mass index (in both recipient and partner, when applicable) was observed among those being refused treatment. Fertility specialists in Sweden focused their assessment on parental factors that may indirectly entail a risk of harm to the future child, such as medical and psychiatric conditions of the individuals involved, their financial constraints and other social reasons, substance abuse and female obesity. CONCLUSION: Being single or receiving treatment with donated gametes can both be reasons for withholding fertility treatment. Although difficult to operationalise, parenting assessment in Sweden is employed interchangeably in treatments with donated gametes (legally mandated assessment) and even autologous gametes (non-legally mandated assessment)-making evident a need for clear official policy guidelines regulating these assessments and the provision of treatment.

Attitudes among paediatric healthcare professionals in Sweden towards sperm donation to single women: a survey study.

BACKGROUND: The number of families conceived through sperm donation to single women is increasing. However, there is limited knowledge about health care professionals' attitudes towards solo-mothers by choice, and there is some indication that professionals' personal opinions influence their care of individuals who use alternate ways to build a family. The primary aim of the study was to investigate attitudes towards, and experiences of, families following sperm donation to single women among healthcare professionals working in primary child healthcare. METHODS: Between April and November 2016 a total of 712 physicians, registered nurses and psychologists working within primary healthcare in Sweden were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey study. The study-specific questionnaire contained the following four domains: Attitudes towards legalization and financing, Attitudes towards the family and the child's health, Clinical experience and Knowledge about sperm donation to single women. RESULTS: The majority of the participants were positive or neutral towards sperm donation being allowed to single women in Sweden. However, one third believed that children risk worse mental health and social stigma. Half of healthcare professionals had own clinical experience of caring for solo-mothers by choice and their children, and of these one third perceived that these families had more need of support than other parents. One out of four indicated that they did not have sufficient knowledge to be able to provide adequate care to these families. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that while there was a relatively large support for sperm donation being allowed to single women in Sweden among health care professionals, many expressed concerns about the child's health, as well as low confidence in their knowledge about the specific needs in this patient group. There is a need for educational interventions targeted to healthcare professionals in primary child healthcare in order to provide adequate care to solo-mothers by choice and their children.

Psychosocial aspects of identity-release gamete donation - perspectives of donors, recipients, and offspring.

Donor conception creates families with varying genetic linkage between family members. This may have short-term as well as lifelong psychosocial consequences for all involved. Gamete donors have traditionally been anonymous to recipients and offspring, but there is a growing trend towards identity-release donor programmes that give offspring the right to obtain the donor's identity. This review aims to provide an overview of the perspectives of donors and recipients and offspring involved in identity-release donation. The results show that both oocyte and sperm donors have primarily altruistic motives, and recipients, in particular lesbian and single women, are generally open about the donation to their offspring. The few existing studies on offspring perspectives indicate that those who are aware of their donor conception appear to be interested in contact with the donor, and most donors are open to such contact. Investigations of donors and recipients indicate a need for more counselling and support to manage family life with varying genetic linkage within and outside the family unit. This includes preparing for and managing future contact between the donor and his/her family and donor offspring and their family, as well as between donor siblings and their respective families.

Epidural Analgesia During Childbirth and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Severe pain has been linked to depression, which raises the question of whether epidural analgesia (EDA) during childbirth is associated with a reduced risk of postpartum depression (PPD). This association has been explored previously, but the studies were restricted by small sample sizes and the inability to control for relevant confounders. This study aimed to investigate the association between the administration of EDA and the development of PPD after adjusting for sociodemographic, psychosocial, and obstetric variables. METHODS: Data were retrieved from the Biology, Affect, Stress, Imaging and Cognition (BASIC) project (2009-2017), a population-based longitudinal cohort study of pregnant women conducted at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. The outcome was PPD at 6 weeks postpartum, defined as a score of ≥12 points on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Information was collected through medical records and self-reported web-based questionnaires during pregnancy and 6 weeks after childbirth. Only primiparous women with spontaneous start of childbirth were included (n = 1503). The association between EDA and PPD was examined in multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic, psychosocial, and obstetric variables. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of the 1503 women included in the analysis, 800 (53%) reported use of EDA during childbirth. PPD at 6 weeks postpartum was present in 193 (13%) women. EDA was not associated with higher odds of PPD at 6 weeks postpartum after adjusting for suspected confounders (age, fear of childbirth, antenatal depressive symptoms; adjusted OR [aOR] = 1.22; 95% CI, 0.87-1.72). CONCLUSIONS: EDA was not associated with the risk of PPD at 6 weeks postpartum after adjusting for sociodemographic, psychosocial, and obstetric variables. However, these findings do not preclude a potential association between PPD and childbirth pain or other aspects of EDA that were not assessed in this study.

Effectiveness and acceptability of cognitive-behavioural therapy based interventions for maternal peripartum depression: a systematic review, meta-analysis and thematic synthesis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Peripartum depression is a common mental health difficulty associated with a range of negative impacts for the mother, infant and wider family. This review will examine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) based interventions for peripartum depression. Secondary aims are to explore the effect of CBT-based interventions targeted at peripartum depression on novel secondary outcomes and moderators potentially associated with effectiveness. To date, there has been little examination of effect on important secondary outcomes (eg, anxiety, stress and parenting), nor clinical and methodological moderators. Further, this review aims to explore the acceptability of CBT-based interventions for women with peripartum depression and examine important adaptations for this population. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE; ISI Web of Science; CINAHL; CENTRAL; Prospero; EMBASE; ASSIA; PsychINFO; SCOPUS; And Swemed+) will be systematically searched. Database searches will be supplemented by expert contact, reference and citation checking, and grey literature. Primary outcomes of interest will be validated measures of symptoms of depression. A proposed meta-analysis will examine: (1) the overall effectiveness of psychological interventions in improving symptoms of depression (both self-reported and diagnosed major depression) in the peripartum period; (2) the impact of interventions on secondary outcomes (eg, anxiety, stress and parenting); (3) clinical and methodological moderators associated with effectiveness. A thematic synthesis will be conducted on qualitative data exploring the acceptability of CBT-based intervention for postpartum depression including participants' experience and perspectives of the interventions, satisfaction, barriers and facilitators to intervention use, intervention relevance to mothers' situations and suggestions for improvements to tailor interventions to the peripartum client group. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Formal ethical approval is not required by the National Ethical Review Board in Sweden as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and inform the development of a new psychological intervention for peripartum depression. This study including protocol development will run from March 2019 to March 2020.

Managing absence and presence of child-parent resemblance: a challenge for heterosexual couples following sperm donation.

This qualitative interview study sought to gather and better understand heterosexual parents' experiences of managing resemblance and non-resemblance between child and parent in an identity-release donor programme. The study is part of the prospective longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation (SSGD), including all fertility clinics performing gamete donation in Sweden. A sample of participants in the SSGD, consisting of 30 heterosexual parents with children aged 7-8 years following identity-release sperm donation, participated in individual semi-structured interviews. This study concerns a secondary analysis of the interview data. The results show how donor-conceiving parents experience the presence and absence of child-parent resemblance, and how they navigate between the importance of genetic connectedness and of 'doing parenthood' through social interactions. The analysis resulted in three categories: 'resemblance through nature or nurture', 'non-resemblance brings the donor to the front' and 'feelings about and coping with resemblance talk'. The first two categories deal with the intrapersonal aspects of physical and non-physical resemblance, while the last category includes aspects of resemblance in relation to persons outside the core family. The presence or absence of parent-child resemblance regarding both physical and non-physical characteristics appears to constitute a considerable challenge for heterosexual couples with school-aged children following sperm donation.

Adverse obstetric outcomes among female childhood and adolescent cancer survivors in Sweden: A population-based matched cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer treatment during childhood may lead to late adverse effects, such as reduced musculoskeletal development or vascular, endocrine and pulmonary dysfunction, which in turn may have an adverse effect on later pregnancy and childbirth. The aim of the present study was to investigate pregnancy and obstetric outcomes as well as the offspring's health among childhood and adolescent female cancer survivors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This register-based study included all women born between 1973 and 1977 diagnosed with cancer in childhood or adolescence (age <21), as well as an age-matched comparison group. A total of 278 female cancer survivors with their first childbirth were included in the study, together with 829 age-matched individuals from the general population. Logistic regression and analysis of variance were used to investigate associations between having been treated for cancer and the outcome variables, adjusting for maternal age, nicotine use and comorbidity. RESULTS: Survivors were more likely to have preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.58 to 7.56), undergo induction of labor (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.62), suffer labor dystocia (primary labor dystocia aOR 3.54, 95% CI 1.51 to 8.34 and secondary labor dystocia aOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.37 to 4.31), malpresentation of fetus (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.65) and imminent fetal asphyxia (aOR 2.55, 95% CI 1.49 to 4.39). In addition, deliveries among survivors were more likely to end with vacuum extraction (aOR 2.53, 95% CI 1.44 to 4.47), with higher risk of clitoral lacerations (aOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.23) and anal sphincter injury (aOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.14 to 6.70) and emergency cesarean section (aOR 2.34 95% CI 1.39 to 3.95). Survivors used pain-reliving methods to a higher extent compared with the comparison group. There was no increased risk of neonate diagnoses and malformations. The results showed that survivors who had been diagnosed with cancer when they were younger than 14 had an increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates increased risk of pregnancy and childbirth complications among childhood and adolescent cancer survivors. There is a need to optimize perinatal care, especially among survivors who were younger than 14 at time of diagnosis.

Attitudes towards embryo donation among healthcare professionals working in child healthcare: a survey study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes towards embryo donation and embryo donation families among professionals working in primary child healthcare, and their experiences of these families. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Sweden between April and November 2016. A total of 712 primary healthcare physicians, registered nurses and psychologists were approached to participate in this study. The study-specific questionnaire measured attitudes and experiences in the following four domains: legalisation and financing, the family and the child's health, clinical experience of meeting families following embryo donation, and knowledge of embryo donation. RESULTS: Of the 189 women and 18 men who completed the questionnaire (response rate 29%), relatively few (13%) had clinical experience of caring for families following embryo donation. Overall, 69% supported legalisation of embryo donation for infertile couples, and 54% agreed it should be publicly funded. The majority (88%) agreed the child should have the right to know the donors' identity. Respondents did not believe that children conceived through embryo donation are as healthy as other children (50%), citing the risks of poor mental health (17%) and social stigmatization (18%). Approximately half reported low confidence in their own knowledge of embryo donation (47%) and wanted to know more (58%). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate relatively large support among healthcare professionals in Sweden for the legalisation of embryo donation. In order to provide adequate healthcare to families following embryo donation, there is a need to develop educational resources to increase knowledge about the medical and psychosocial consequences of embryo donation among healthcare professionals working in primary healthcare.

Evaluation of risk factors' importance on adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women aged 40 years or older.

BACKGROUND: Women of advanced age (40 years or older) are generally, at risk for pregnancy and delivery related problems. In addition, there is limited knowledge on being of advanced age and having been given Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) and its association with negative obstetric outcomes. Therefore, data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register was used to investigate pregnancy and neonatal outcomes for women aged 40 or more who had given birth. The secondary aim was to compare the obstetric outcomes of women who had used ART and women who had not undergone ART while adjusting for marital status across the age groups. METHOD: Women of advanced age who had given birth in Sweden during 2007-2012 formed the index group, n = 37,558; a reference group of women comprised 71,472 women under the age of 40. An additional subgroup of women aged 45 or older when giving birth was also formed, n = 2229. The obstetric and neonatal data for all the women was derived from national register data. RESULTS: Women of advanced age were more often single, had undergone ART, and more often experienced adverse obstetric outcomes than did younger women. The neonate's health was also more often adversely affected expressed as being born with low birth weight and Small for Gestational Age (SGA), having lower Apgar scores, and having more health problems during the first week compared to the reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Women who are approaching the upper limit of fecundity are at greater risk for having children who are preterm and SGA. The adverse effects of being preterm and SGA may have negative long-term effects, not only on the children but also on the mothers. This needs to be addressed more frequently in a clinical setting when advising women of all ages on pregnancy and ART treatment.

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of Hindi-translated Scale for Measuring Maternal Satisfaction among postnatal women in Chhattisgarh, India.

Satisfaction with childbirth services is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, providing relevant insights into women's opinion on quality of services received. Research studies report a dearth of standardised scales that quantify this phenomenon; and none have been tested in India to the best of authors' knowledge. The current study was undertaken to evaluate psychometric properties of Hindi version of the Turkish Scale for Measuring Maternal Satisfaction: Normal and Caesarean Births versions in order to fill this gap. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in selected public health facilities in Chhattisgarh, India. Healthy women (n = 1004) who gave birth to a single, live neonate, vaginally or via Caesarean section participated. Psychometric assessment was carried out in four steps: 1) scales translated from Turkish to Hindi; 2) Content Validity Index scores calculated for Hindi scales; 3) data collection; 4) statistical analyses for Hindi scales (Normal and Caesarean Birth). A 10-factor model with 36 items emerged for both scales. The Hindi- translated Normal Birth and Caesarean Birth scales had good internal reliability (Cronbach's α coefficients of 0.85 and 0.80, respectively). The Hindi Scales for Measuring Maternal Satisfaction (Normal and Caesarean Birth) are valid and reliable tools for utilization in Indian health facilities. Their multi-dimensional nature presents an opportunity for the care providers and health administrators to incorporate women's opinions in intervention to improve quality of childbirth services. Having an international tool validated within India also provides a platform for comparing cross-country findings.

Cross-border surrogacy: Experiences of heterosexual and gay parents in Sweden.

INTRODUCTION: Surrogacy is a controversial method of assisted reproduction that is not permitted in many countries. While there is some evidence that families following surrogacy seem to fare well, there is limited knowledge about the experiences of parents who turn to cross-border surrogacy. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the experiences of heterosexual parents and gay fathers who chose cross-border surrogacy to have a child. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey describes the experiences of 30 families (18 heterosexual parent and 12 gay father families). Participants were recruited through a website for a Swedish surrogacy interest group. The participants were requested individually to complete a postal questionnaire including study-specific questions on their experiences of disclosure and the Swedish Parenting Stress Questionnaire. RESULTS: All couples but one were still living together and had a child (3 months to 5 years). Parenting stress levels were generally low and were not related to sexual orientation. While almost all parents were open about the child's mode of conception in contacts with health care, gay fathers were significantly more open about using surrogacy in contacts with preschool (P = 0.004) and child recreational activities (P = 0.005) compared with heterosexual parents. A majority described being treated positively or "as any other parent" in these contexts. CONCLUSIONS: Heterosexual and gay parents reported low levels of parenting stress and generally experienced positive or neutral reactions to their parenthood in contacts with healthcare providers, in preschool, and in the child's recreational activities.

Neuroticism is associated with higher antenatal care utilization in obstetric low-risk women.

INTRODUCTION: Elevated neuroticism is associated with higher health care utilization in the general population. This study aimed to investigate the association between neuroticism and the use of publicly financed antenatal care in obstetric low-risk women, taking predisposing and need factors for health care utilization into consideration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Participants comprised 1052 obstetric low-risk women (no chronic diseases or adverse pregnancy conditions) included in several obstetrics/gynecology studies in Uppsala, Sweden. Neuroticism was self-rated on the Swedish universities Scales of Personality. Medical records of their first subsequent pregnancy were scanned for antenatal care use. Associations between antenatal care use and neuroticism were analyzed with logistic regression (binary outcomes) or negative binomial regression (count outcomes) comparing the 75th and 25th neuroticism percentiles. Depending on the Akaike information criterion the exposure was modeled as either linear or with restricted cubic splines. Analyses were adjusted for predisposing (sociodemographic and parity) and need factors (body mass index and psychiatric morbidity). RESULTS: After adjustment, women with higher neuroticism had more fetal ultrasounds (incidence rate ratio = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.16), more emergency visits to an obstetrician/gynecologist (incidence rate ratio = 1.22, 95% CI 1.03-1.45) and were more likely to visit a fear-of-childbirth clinic (odds ratio = 2.71, 95% CI 1.71-4.29). Moreover, they more often consulted midwives in specialized antenatal care facilities (significant J-shaped association). CONCLUSIONS: Neuroticism was associated with higher utilization of publicly financed antenatal care in obstetric low-risk women, even after adjusting for predisposing and need factors. Future studies should address the benefits of interventions as a complement to routine antenatal care programs to reduce subclinical anxiety.