American Attitudes in Context: Posthumous Sperm Retrieval and Reproduction

Jason D Hans and Erin L Yel

Abstract

Although still exceedingly uncommon, evidence suggests that the prevalence of posthumous sperm retrieval requests for reproductive purposes has increased in recent years within the United States. These requests raise complex issues that pose challenges for physicians, legal scholars, and bioethicists. This study is among the first to examine the general population’s attitudes toward posthumous sperm retrieval and, more generally, toward posthumous reproduction. Specifically, the effects of five contextual circumstances—marital status, parental status, wishes of the deceased’s parents, context of death, and the wishes of the deceased—on attitudes toward posthumous sperm retrieval for the purpose of cryopreservation and reproduction were examined using a multiple segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 846 households in the United States. Marital status, disposition of the deceased’s parents, and the deceased’s wishes affected attitudes in predictable directions, parental status and cause of death had little bearing on attitudes, and respondent religiosity was negatively related to the perceived acceptability of posthumous sperm retrieval as well as medical professional’s obligation to perform the procedure.