"Why do I need to meet with a mental health professional?": a class format as a novel approach to delivering gamete recipient education.
- 1Psychology Department, Spring Fertility, Portland, Oregon.
- 2Psychology Department, Spring Fertility, San Francisco, California.
- 3Department of Psychiatry and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Abstract
The use of donor gametes has increased substantially in recent decades. In response to the psychosocial and both short- and long-term implications of third-party reproduction, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends psychoeducational counseling for recipient parents. Yet mental health referrals are often experienced as anxiety-provoking or discriminatory, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals and those pursuing solo parenting, reflecting longstanding heteronormative bias in reproductive medicine. The ASRM has called for fertility care models that move beyond mere acceptance toward affirming, patient-centered care. This review describes over 15 years of experience implementing a psychoeducational, class-based model for gamete recipients in an academic medical center and, more recently, a private multisite fertility clinic. We present preliminary findings, highlight patient-centered benefits, outline practical implementation strategies, and discuss limitations of this approach. Preliminary quality improvement data were drawn from a 1-year survey of patients at a private multisite fertility practice who were eligible to complete either a class-based consultation with an embedded clinical psychologist or a traditional individual consultation. Overall, the majority of patients opted into the class format and found the class moderately to extremely helpful. Primary reasons for opting into the class included reduced financial burden, interest in community-building, and the perceptions of greater inclusivity. To better align required psychoeducational counseling with principles of inclusivity and patient-centered care, alternative models are needed. A class-based mental health consultation offers a practical and scalable approach that delivers essential education while reducing fears of judgment, fostering community, and improving access to care. Ongoing research is examining the impact of this model on patient knowledge, confidence, and the perceived inclusivity of care across diverse family types.
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BibTeX
@article{alsup2026need,
title = {{"Why do I need to meet with a mental health professional?": a class format as a novel approach to delivering gamete recipient education.}},
author = {Shelby Alsup and Julia Conant and Julia Woodward},
journal = {F\&S reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1016/j.xfre.2026.07.002},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903627},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - "Why do I need to meet with a mental health professional?": a class format as a novel approach to delivering gamete recipient education.
AU - Shelby Alsup
AU - Julia Conant
AU - Julia Woodward
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/08
JO - F&S reports
DO - 10.1016/j.xfre.2026.07.002
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903627
AB - The use of donor gametes has increased substantially in recent decades. In response to the psychosocial and both short- and long-term implications of third-party reproduction, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends psychoeducational counseling for recipient parents. Yet mental health referrals are often experienced as anxiety-provoking or discriminatory, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals and those pursuing solo parenting, reflecting longstanding heteronormative bias in reproductive medicine. The ASRM has called for fertility care models that move beyond mere acceptance toward affirming, patient-centered care. This review describes over 15 years of experience implementing a psychoeducational, class-based model for gamete recipients in an academic medical center and, more recently, a private multisite fertility clinic. We present preliminary findings, highlight patient-centered benefits, outline practical implementation strategies, and discuss limitations of this approach. Preliminary quality improvement data were drawn from a 1-year survey of patients at a private multisite fertility practice who were eligible to complete either a class-based consultation with an embedded clinical psychologist or a traditional individual consultation. Overall, the majority of patients opted into the class format and found the class moderately to extremely helpful. Primary reasons for opting into the class included reduced financial burden, interest in community-building, and the perceptions of greater inclusivity. To better align required psychoeducational counseling with principles of inclusivity and patient-centered care, alternative models are needed. A class-based mental health consultation offers a practical and scalable approach that delivers essential education while reducing fears of judgment, fostering community, and improving access to care. Ongoing research is examining the impact of this model on patient knowledge, confidence, and the perceived inclusivity of care across diverse family types.
SN - 2666-3341
ER -