At-Home Insemination Guide

People build their families in very different ways, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have been at the forefront of assisting different types of families to have children. ART has also given solutions to a wide range of previously untreatable fertility challenges. As a result, many people have found a new hope where having children is concerned.

ART has a wide range of treatments available to cater to a wide variety of family building needs. As well, the costs of treatments vary just as widely as the treatments do. At-home insemination is one of the more affordable treatments available. The appeal of at-home treatments is primarily the privacy they provide, but also that it is a simple procedure to do.

So let us discuss what you will need to do to increase your chances of success with at-home insemination. 

What Is At-Home Insemination?

At-home insemination is a fertility treatment that requires a person to place sperm into their vagina in order to become pregnant. The process as the name suggests can be carried out at home. This process is done during a person’s ovulation window and the sperm used is obtained from either someone known or from an anonymous donor. This procedure can be done at home or at a clinic. When it is done at a clinic, the sperm is placed directly into the uterus.

Success Rates of At-Home Insemination

At-home insemination typically requires about three or more rounds, for success when done at home. This gives us a statistic of about a 40 percent likelihood of success. The at-home setting has many uncontrollable variables that could affect the success of an insemination procedure. If you consider this, the statistic is actually not very grim in that light. A clinical setting is more controlled and as such has a higher success rate.  

Increasing Your At-Home Insemination Success Rate

Since an at-home insemination can still be successful, let us look at the ways you can improve your chances of success. 

The Timing

At-home insemination depends on the accurate timing of ovulation, because it depends on a person’s natural menstruation cycle. The sperm must reach and fertilize the egg during the ovulation window, or else pregnancy cannot occur. While it is not known the exact moment ovulation occurs, it tends to last for a couple of days. For accurate timing, an ovulation tracker is recommended because it can detect the luteinizing hormone (LH) which is released at the beginning of ovulation. It is advised that the insemination be done the day before ovulation begins to increase the likelihood of fertilization and pregnancy.  

The Kit

The kit for an at-home insemination is easy to obtain as they are readily available. It consists of a sterilized container for a sperm sample, a soft tipped syringe or sometimes a catheter. If the person wanting to become pregnant uses sperm from a third part donor service, then the kit they get may already have a sperm sample in the sterilized container. Before you begin the insemination, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the kit.

The Position

The joy of at-home insemination is that one can choose or create a comfortable space to do the procedure in. Typically one would be required to lye on their side, or on their back with a pillow under their hips. These positions help the sperm to move into the uterus with the help of gravity. 

The Procedure

This procedure usually takes anywhere between 30 to 40 minutes, so one must ensure that they will be uninterrupted to prevent leaking of the sperm sample. To do the insemination, one should gently suction the sperm sample into the syringe or catheter and place it into the vagina. One must not try, under any circumstances, to insert the sample directly into the uterus. Once the sperm sample is in the vagina, one must remain lying down for an additional 20 minutes at least, to make sure that sperm does not accidentally get wasted.  

Conclusion

The at-home insemination treatment is quite affordable and is not invasive. If done correctly one can continue with their regular routine including using the bathroom. With this treatment, it may take more than one try, but this is quite normal, even in natural pregnancy. If you have any questions, concerns or assistance in doing an at-home insemination, contact IVF Fertility Center, we are more than happy to assist and walk with you in your family building journey, whatever your preference may be.