Pregnancies Utilizing Donated Oocytes Pose Potential Risks to Recipients and Neonates

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rates of hypertensive disorders and adverse perinatal outcomes between oocyte donation (OD) recipients and matched women undergoing autologous oocyte (AO) in vitro fertilization. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective matched cohort study. RESULTS: Mean (SD) maternal age at delivery was 41.5 (4.8) years in the OD group and 40.3 (2.3) years in the AO group. Mean birth weight was significantly less in the OD group as compared to that in the autologous group (2,968 [906] g vs. 3,328 [554] g, p =0.03). Hypertensive disease affected a higher percentage of OD patients than AO patients (38.1% vs. 9.5%, p=0.07). Mean gestational age at delivery was lower in OD patients than in AO patients, resulting in more preterm births (36.9 [3.6] weeks vs. 38.1 [2.8] weeks, p =0.08). Mode of delivery was not different between groups (p = 0.41). CONCLUSION: Newborns of OD patients had significantly lower birth weights as compared to those from AO pregnancies. OD patients also had higher (but not significantly different) rates of hypertensive disease and preterm birth, which is of clinical importance. These findings from 1 institution are consistent with results of prior studies and should be considered when counseling patients interested in OD.