Post-mortem Sperm Retrieval

The partner or parents of a man who unexpectedly died can request that his sperm be retrieved and saved, so that it may be used in the future to give rise to the next generation. This process, known as post-mortem sperm retrieval, made headlines particularly during the Swords of Iron War, when dozens of families asked to exercise their legal right to retrieve and freeze live sperm for future reproductive purposes.

You should know that the closer the procedure is performed to the time of death, and particularly up to 24 hours from the moment of death, the greater are the chances of success of the procedure (there is more motile (live) sperm). Where more than 72 hours passed since the time of death, live sperm cannot be produced, and the procedure will not be carried out.

The chances of success in using the sperm in the future depend mainly on the time elapsed from the time of death to the time when the sperm is taken, but also on additional data such as the quality of the sperm, its condition and the circumstances of death.