Introduction to Artificial Insemination at Home (ICI Method)
In the artificial insemination process, the sperm from the donor/partner is directly placed into the cervix or uterus of a woman.
This method is one of the easiest procedures that can be performed at a fertility clinic or even at home.
The sperm can be washed to remove unnecessary substances like germs, antigens, prostaglandins, etc which may increase the possibility of fertilization. It includes two methods:
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI): This process places the sperm into the uterine cavity directly with the help of a speculum. It requires the assistance of a medical practitioner and needs to be done at a fertility clinic.
- Intracervical insemination (ICI): In this process, the sperm is placed near the cervix with the help of a needless syringe or cervical cap. Both of which can be done at home
Artificial insemination at home is done by the use of the ICI method. This method is also called the Turkey-Baster method.
Benefits of ICI:
- This process is cost-effective as it only requires a needleless syringe or cervical cap. It eliminates the expenses of a medical practitioner& the fertility clinic.
- It eliminates the tedious doctor’s appointment at the fertility clinic.
- It lets the participant the freedom to choose where the insemination should happen.
- It allows the participant to have the freedom to inseminate herself at her comfortable home.
Also, the rate of getting pregnant by this method can be increased by getting an orgasm after the insemination has taken place.
The potential risk can be:
Vaginal infection or lesion can occur if the process is not carried out with special care.
Fraudulent donor sperm with low sperm count, sexually transmitted disease, and more.
Tools required:
- Sterilized semen collecting cup
- Sterilized needleless syringe. (If with a needle, remove the needle)
- Vaginal speculum if required
Steps to perform the intracervical insemination via Turkey Baster method/Needleless syringe:
- Collect the fresh semen in a sterile semen specimen cup and let it liquefy for around 10 mins
- If it is frozen semen, allow it to be thawed briefly.
- Pull the air inside the syringe with the syringe plunger.
- Push out the air from the syringe with the syringe plunger
- Open the semen specimen cup and dip the syringe in the cup.
- Pull the liquified semen inside the syringe.
- Remove any air bubbles in the syringe either by tapping the syringe or by pushing the syringe plunger a bit.
- Now get into a comfortable position lying down with a pillow/towel behind your back/waist to raise your hip. You must be in a comfortable place to be able to relax for at least 30 mins.
- Now, as per choice, you can use vaginal lubricant and slowly insert the needleless syringe inside the vagina until it stops.
- Slowly push the syringe plunger to eject the sperm.
- Leave the syringe inside the vagina for a few seconds and take it out slowly.
- Try to embrace an orgasm either with your partner or via clitoral stimulation using a vibrator. Orgasm helps the clitoris to contract & pull the semen faster towards the uterus.
- Lie comfortably for around 15-30 min after the insemination as it increases the success rate and gives us enough time for the sperm to travel into the uterus.
- Dispose of the syringe, semen specimen cup.
- Get a pregnancy kit ready for the good news.
If you are using a cervical cap, then;
- Collect the semen inside a cervical cap and fold it to hold the semen
- Get into a comfortable position lying down with a pillow/towel behind your back/waist to raise your hip. You must be in a comfortable place to be able to relax for at least 30 mins.
- Insert the cervical cap inside the vagina as far as possible.
- Try to embrace an orgasm either with your partner or via clitoral stimulation using a vibrator. Orgasm helps the clitoris to contract & pull the semen faster towards the uterus.
- Leave the cervical cup for around 2-4hrs.
Increasing your success rate:
- Artificial insemination done during the day of ovulation offers the best results. 2 days before and after ovulation are also the fertile periods that can increase too.
- For this, a proper understanding of the menstrual cycle/ovulation cycle is required.
- For easy assistance, an artificial insemination kit or an ovulation predictor kit can be used.
- Try to orgasm after insemination.
- Lie down comfortably for at least 15-30 min. It has shown a higher success rate in IUI and presumably can show similar results too here with ICI.
- Is the best time.
- Ask your partner to refrain from masturbation or sexual indulgence from 2-5 days for a better sperm sample.
References:
(Artificial Insemination at Home – Process & Success Rate, n.d.; At-Home Artificial Insemination: The Turkey Baster Method | BabyMed.Com, n.d.; At-Home Artificial Insemination: The Turkey Baster Method | BabyMed.Com, n.d.; Home Insemination Guide, n.d.)
Artificial Insemination at Home – Process & Success Rate. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2021, from https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/
At-Home Artificial Insemination: The Turkey Baster Method | babyMed.com. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2021, from https://www.babymed.com/
Home Insemination Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2021, from https://www.co-parentmatch.com/
