title: A content analysis of posthumous sperm procurement protocols with considerations for developing an institutional policy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and analyze existing posthumous sperm procurement (PSP) protocols in order to outline central themes for institutions to consider when developing future policies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Large academic institutions across the United States.
  We performed a literature search and contacted 40 institutions to obtain nine full PSP protocols. We then performed a content analysis on these policies to identify major themes and factors to consider when developing a PSP protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of a PSP policy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified six components of a thorough PSP protocol: Standard of Evidence, Terms of Eligibility, Sperm Designee, Restrictions on Use in Reproduction, Logistics, and Contraindications. We also identified two different approaches to policy structure. In the Limited Role approach, institutions have stricter consent requirements and limit their involvement to the time of procurement. In the Family-Centered approach, substituted judgment is permitted but a mandatory wait period is enforced before sperm use in reproduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Institutions seeking to implement a PSP protocol will benefit from considering the six major building blocks of a thorough protocol and where they would like to fall on the spectrum from a Limited Role to a Family-Centered approach.
authors.affiliation: Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. sbahm@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bahm
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karkazis
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magnus
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016134:Organizational Policy; D037022:Posthumous Conception / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D012015:Reference Standards; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D013074:Sperm Banks / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D053625:Sperm Retrieval / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards
keywords: Posthumous sperm procurement; ethics; gamete retrieval; posthumous reproduction; postmortem sperm retrieval