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Fertility Glossary

Posthumous use of gametes

Using stored eggs, sperm or embryos after a person has died.

Legal and rights

Whether stored material can be used after death, and whether sperm may be retrieved after death, is tightly regulated and differs across Australian states and territories. Written consent given in advance is generally central, and court applications are sometimes required. Assisted reproductive treatment, donor and surrogacy law differs between Australian states and territories. Check the rules that apply where you live and where your clinic is located.

Also known as: posthumous conception, using sperm after death

Sources

  • Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ranzcog.edu.au)

Last reviewed: 10 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only โ€” always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.

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