Mid Life Mom's

Artificial Insemination - 

Is It The Right Answer For You ?

Artificial Insemination By Donor

The simplest, most widely used, and least invasive of the technologies that a woman 
may consider is donor insemination (DI). This procedure does not require professional help, 
and you can do it at home.  

It can be used by women  who wish to get pregnant without having a male partner, or by 
women who's male partner has fertility problems or those who risk passing on a hereditary disease. 

To use DI on your own, ideally you should have no fertility problems. Or be using a fertility drug such 
as Clomid to increase your chances of ovulation. To find out if and when you are likely to ovulate, 
you can chart your basal body temperature and mucus consistency for a few months in advance. 

A urine test kit, available  in any drug store can help you find the right time, for the insemination procedure, 
by detecting the hormone surge that precedes ovulation by about 24 hours. These kits contain detailed 
instructions and are simple to use. 

Choosing A Sperm Donor

There are several ways of obtaining semen. You could simply ask a male friend or acquaintance to 
donate sperm. 

Or you can get inseminated with the help of a health care practitioner at a clinic with access 
to a sperm bank.

Women who cannot afford frozen semen or clinic and physician fees, and who opt for fresh semen, 
are at a greater risk for HIV and other infections. 

If you must use fresh semen, it's safest if your donor has been celibate or at least monogamous 
for at least six months. He should have a drug and alcohol free history and ideally should 
have had recent HIV testing. 

Insemination

When you inseminate, the semen should be at body temperature. When you know that you are 
about to ovulate, ask your donor to ejaculate into a clean container. This semen should be used 
within 30 minutes for best results.

Place the semen into a syringe, (available in drug stores and farm supplies)  then gently insert the syringe into your 
vagina while you lie flat on your back with your buttocks up on a pillow. Empty the syringe into 
your vagina to deposit the semen as close to your cervix as possible. Continue lying in this 
position for about 10 minutes.

Success Rates

Success rates will depend on you and your partner's particular problem and your age. Most couples 
who turn to AI have a 5 to 25 percent chance of becoming pregnant with each cycle. 
Your chances could be closer to 25 -30 percent if you are taking fertility drugs.

It's estimated that more than 50,000 women in North America have used DI  successfully

Certainly DI isn't right for everybody. It raises different questions for different people. Religious questions, 
legal questions, or moral questions.

When exploring any of the reproductive therapies, please remember, that if it doesn't feel right, 
then just don't do it!