02384nas a2200361 4500008004100000020005100041245005400092210005300146250001300199300001200212490000700224520139400231653002201625653002301647653001801670653001001688653002101698653002301719653001101742653001101753653000801764653000901772653001301781653001801794653003101812100002301843700001801866700001401884700001601898700001501914700001401929856007901943 2015 eng d a1472-6491 (Electronic)
1472-6483 (Linking)00aPatients' views on the embryo storage time limits0 aPatients views on the embryo storage time limits a20150508 a232-2380 v313 a

The establishment of the length of embryo storage has been based on socio-political criteria. There are different regulations, guidelines and health care policies worldwide. This mixed-methods study aimed to assess the opinion of patients about the embryo storage time limit, and the perception of the criteria underlying the establishment of the storage period offered to them. Between August 2011 and December 2012, 534 IVF patients from Portugal participated in a quantitative questionnaire and 34 couples were interviewed. Overall, 38% of participants preferred the duration of 4-5 years, 38% extended it beyond 5 years and 23% indicated 3 years. Having experienced at least one previous cycle was directly associated with agreeing with a duration of storage longer than 5 years, for both women and men. Having children was inversely associated with longer duration of storage, among women. One-third of the 34 interviewed couples stated that their knowledge concerning embryo storage was insufficient. Nevertheless, all the interviewees reported at least one possible reason for the legal establishment of the storage period offered to them, highlighting financial costs and decreased embryo quality. There are misconceptions and gaps in awareness of cryopreservation, which may shape patients' opinions. Accurate information regarding policy on storage of embryos is needed.

10a*Cryopreservation10a*Embryo, Mammalian10a*Time Factors10aAdult10acryopreservation10aembryo disposition10aFemale10aHumans10aIvf10aMale10aPortugal10apublic policy10aSurveys and Questionnaires1 aPereira, Margarida1 aSamorinha, C.1 aAlves, E.1 aMachado, H.1 aAmorim, M.1 aSilva, S. uhttps://www.cipes.pt/patients-views-embryo-storage-time-limits?language=en04162nas a2200385 4500008004100000020005100041245010300092210006900195250001300264300001100277490000700288520286200295653003903157653002003196653002303216653004203239653002803281653001303309653001103322653003803333653004203371653002603413653001103439653002703450653001503477653002503492653002203517653003003539100001803569700002303587700001603610700001903626700001403645856011703659 2014 eng d a1460-2369 (Electronic)
1355-4786 (Linking)00aFactors associated with the donation and non-donation of embryos for research: A systematic review0 aFactors associated with the donation and nondonation of embryos  a20140606 a641-550 v203 a

BACKGROUND: Systematic knowledge on the factors that influence the decisions of IVF users regarding embryo donation for research is a core need for patient-centred policies and ethics in clinical practice. However, no systematic review has been provided on the motivations of patients who must decide embryo disposition. This paper fills this gap, presenting a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies, which synthesizes the current body of knowledge on the factors and reasons associated with IVF patients' decisions to donate or not to donate embryos for research. METHODS: A systematic search of studies indexed in PubMed, ISI WoK and PsycINFO, published before November 2013, was conducted. Only empirical, peer-reviewed, full-length, original studies reporting data on factors and reasons associated with the decision concerning donation or non-donation of embryos for research were included. Eligibility and data extraction were performed by two independent researchers and disagreements were resolved by discussion or a third reviewer, if required. The main quantitative findings were extracted and synthesized and qualitative data were assessed by thematic content analysis. RESULTS: A total of 39 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. More than half of the studies (n = 21) used a quantitative methodology, and the remaining were qualitative (n = 15) or mixed-methods (n = 3) studies. The studies were derived mainly from European countries (n = 18) and the USA (n = 11). The proportion of IVF users who donated embryos for research varied from 7% in a study in France to 73% in a Swiss study. Those who donate embryos for research reported feelings of reciprocity towards science and medicine, positive views of research and high levels of trust in the medical system. They described their decision as better than the destruction of embryos and as an opportunity to help others or to improve health and IVF treatments. The perception of risks, the lack of information concerning research projects and the medical system and the conceptualization of embryos in terms of personhood were the most relevant motives for not donating embryos for research. Results relating to the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive and gynaecological history were mostly inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Three iterative and dynamic dimensions of the IVF patients' decision to donate or not to donate embryos for research emerged from this review: the hierarquization of the possible options regarding embryo disposition, according to the moral, social and instrumental status attributed to embryos; patients' understanding of expectations and risks of the research on human embryos; and patients' experiences of information exchange and levels of trust in the medical-scientific institutions.

10aassisted reproductive technologies10aDecision Making10aembryo disposition10aEmbryo Disposition/ethics/*psychology10aEmbryo Research/*ethics10aEmotions10aFemale10aFertilization in Vitro/psychology10aHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice10ahuman embryo research10aHumans10ain vitro fertilization10aMotivation10aReproductive History10asystematic review10aTissue Donors/*psychology1 aSamorinha, C.1 aPereira, Margarida1 aMachado, H.1 aFigueiredo, B.1 aSilva, S. uhttps://www.cipes.pt/factors-associated-donation-and-non-donation-embryos-research-systematic-review?language=en