At-Home Insemination Guide

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have revolutionized how people build their families. They have also provided solutions to a wide range of reproductive challenges. The costs of ARTs vary just as widely in their scope as they do in their options. One of the more affordable fertility treatments available is at-home insemination. It is typically used in cases where a person does not naturally produce sperm, or where they are experiencing fertility challenges. 

What makes at-home insemination popular is not just the cost, but the fact that the treatment procedure is simple enough that it can be done at home.  The central factor for success in at-home insemination is timing, as the treatment depends on a woman’s natural menstrual cycle. In order to increase the odds for success, this article shall give you some guidelines on what you need to do. 

What Is At-Home Insemination?

 At-home insemination, calls for a person to have sperm placed into their vagina or uterus, during their ovulation window in order to become pregnant. Usually in ART therapy, sperm can come from a known donor or an unknown donor, such as a sperm bank. When at-home insemination is done at home, the sperm is placed into the vagina, whereas at a clinic, the sperm is placed directly into the uterus. 

Success Rates of At-Home Insemination

There is a 40 percent chance of success when at-home insemination is done more than once. In fact one may need to have three or more rounds at home. The reason being that, there is a difference between a clinical setting and an at-home setting, where the clinical setting is the more controlled one of the two. To help you improve the likelihood of success at home, we shall discuss some tips to consider.  

Increasing Your At-Home Insemination Success Rate

The Timing

In order for a pregnancy to occur, sperm must reach the egg during ovulation. Since no one knows the exact moment when ovulation begins, it is recommended that one uses an ovulation tracker. Ovulation trackers detect luteinizing hormone (LH), which is released in the body when ovulation begins. It is advisable to do the at-home insemination a day prior to the start of ovulation. Typically ovulation has a window of two to three days, which means that if timed well, a pregnancy could possibly occur. 

The Kit

At-home insemination kits are readily available in the market containing a catheter or soft-tipped syringe, as well as a sterilized container for the sperm sample. If one obtains their sperm from a donor, the kit may already have a sperm sample in the container. It is important to familiarize yourself with these components ahead of the procedure.

The Position

One may do at-home insemination while lying on their side or, on their back with a pillow underneath the hips. This helps the sperm to move along into the uterus, gently aided by gravity. The procedure typically takes between 30 and 40 minutes to complete. As a result, it is important to ensure that one is not interrupted during the procedure. This will prevent the sperm sample from leaking and getting wasted.

The Procedure

To perform the procedure, take the catheter or syringe and gently suction the sperm sample from its container. Place the sperm sample into the vagina, and not directly into the uterus. Once this has been properly done, continue lying down for at least 20 more minutes, to ensure that no accidental wastage occurs.

Conclusion

At-home insemination is neither invasive, nor as expensive as other ARTs. For many, participating in building a family in this way accords them discretion they desire. While it may take more than one try before pregnancy can occur, it is not unusual, as pregnancy in general usually takes more than one attempt before positive results can be seen. To learn more about at-home insemination and other fertility treatments available for building your family, contact Virginia Fertility & IVF at any of our locations countrywide.