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Understanding Bereaved Families' Views on Postmortem Sperm Retrieval: Insights from a Survey in Central India
Raghvendra Kumar Vidua1, Nimisha Dubey1, Tanu Budholioya1
1Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Background:
Postmortem sperm retrieval (PMSR) is an emerging reproductive and medicolegal practice that raises complex ethical, psychological, social and legal concerns. While previous studies have largely focused on the technical feasibility of PMSR, limited data are available regarding public awareness, perceptions and psychosocial acceptance, particularly in the Indian context.
Aim:
To evaluate awareness, perceptions and psychological factors associated with the acceptance of PMSR.
Settings And Design:
A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among grieving relatives visiting the mortuary setting.
Materials And Methods:
A structured 20-item questionnaire covering four domains-Ethical and Personal Acceptance, Social and Religious Stigma, Legal and Policy Framework and Facts and Relevance-was administered to consenting adult participants. Responses were recorded using a five-point Likert scale. Content validity of the questionnaire was established using the item-level content validity index assessment by experts.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using Chi-square tests. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to evaluate inter-item relationships and visualised using a correlogram.
Results:
Of 600 relatives approached, 437 consented to participate. Most respondents demonstrated favourable attitudes toward PMSR, particularly in ethical and personal acceptance domains. High agreement was observed regarding ethical acceptability and personal support for PMSR. Strong positive correlations existed between ethical acceptance and personal support variables, while strong negative correlations were observed between social non-acceptance and independent approval of PMSR.
Conclusion:
The study demonstrates generally positive perceptions toward PMSR despite existing ethical, social and legal ambiguities. The findings highlight the need for increased public awareness and ethical guidelines for PMSR.
