13 Richie: Post-mortem Sperm Retrieval and Posthumous Grandparenthood Global Bioethics Enquiry 2020; 8(1) Original Article Post-mortem Sperm Retrieval and Posthumous Grandparenthood in the United States and Internationally Cristina Richie Department of Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. USA. Corresponding Author: Cristina Richie E-mail: richiec17@ecu.edu ABSTRACT Postmortem sperm retrieval (PMSR) is a procedure to procure sperm from a man who has been dead for a short period of time, or a man who has been declared dead by neurological criteria and is being kept alive artificially. Requests for PMSR are typically made by widows with the intention of using the sperm for artificial insemination in the future, but this is not always the case. This article examines requests for postmortem sperm retrieval from parents and family members. I will first overview the legal landscape and policies regarding PMSR internationally. Next, I will provide two clinical cases of requests for postmortem sperm retrieval from parents and family members which occurred at a major medical center in California, USA. I will then analyze the salient ethical features with particular emphasis on California laws and Israel posthumous grandparenthood policies. Requests for postmortem sperm retrieval from parents, which will not necessarily result in posthumous grandparenthood, will become more frequent. This is a compelling reason for major hospitals to draft policies. I conclude with policy suggestions for this rarified request, which I believe will become routine in the future. Keywords: Postmortem sperm retrieval; ethics; posthumous grandparenthood; policy INTRODUCTION Post-mortem sperm retrieval (PMSR) is a procedure to procure sperm from a man who has been dead for a short period of time, or a man who has been declared dead by neurological criteria and is being kept alive artificially. In previous decades, PMSR was accomplished by cutaneous vibratory stimulation and rectal probe electroejaculation [1]. Currently, PMSR is done by en-bloc orchiectomy (castration) with epididymectomy and vasal sperm aspiration; orchiectomy plus epididymectomy; epididymectomy alone; or electroejaculation [2]. Sperm is viable up to 24 to 36 hours after cardiac death, depending on the method of extraction [3]. Requests for PMSR are typically made by widows with the intention of using the sperm for artificial insemination in the future, but this is not always the case. This article examines requests for post-mortem sperm retrieval from parents and family members. I will first overview the legal landscape and policies regarding PMSR internationally. Next, I will provide two clinical cases of requests for post-mortem sperm retrieval from parents and family members which occurred at a major medical centre in California, USA. I will then analyse the salient ethical features with particular emphasis on California laws and Israel posthumous grandparenthood policies. I