So you’re starting your fertility journey and wanting to take your shot at a home insemination? You may have been wondering; Can I purchase sperm vials and perform an intracervical insemination (ICI) at home?
Yes! If a home insemination is a suitable option for you, frozen sperm can be shipped straight to your doorstep. Or you may be wondering if you can use a known donor and inseminate with fresh sperm. Yes, but you absolutely need legal agreements in place when using a know donor.
ICI typically has lower success rates than intrauterine insemination (IUI), but the comfort of being in your own home versus a clinic make it a worthwhile option. However, performing a home insemination isn’t the right move for everyone.
Let’s go through the steps of an at-home insemination! We will also explore additional tips and medications you might encounter online and if these tips are legit.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Be sure to discuss your options with your doctor to create the best plan for your needs. There are affiliate links in this post! If you buy something through these links, it may help me earn a small commission.
Table of Contents
1. Find out if it’s an option for you
Before becoming set on the possibility of a home insemination, evaluate if this is the best move for you. Everyone trying to conceive should get an initial preconception work up to make sure your body is ready for pregnancy. This is the basics like your annual labs at your primary care provider and a pap smear at your OB/GYN.
You may want to get additional lab work done that is specific to fertility health. This includes labs such as Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), which determines ovarian reserve.
Consider other factors that could impact fertility. Are you greater than age 35? Do you have PCOS or any thyroid disorders? ICI success rates can be be lower for these individuals. This may influence your decision with how to attempt pregnancy.
Most sperm banks will let you buy sperm without any medical evaluation, but this is not recommended. You should consult with your health care provider to get a personalized plan for you. There may be unexpected fertility issues and knowing this upfront can help avoid disappointment and unexpected costs later on.
Some banks, like the Sperm Bank of California require a signature from a medical professional. You can read more and compare sperm banks on my post here.
2. Learn about your menstrual cycle
Tracking your ovulation (egg release) is essential for determining the best time for insemination. Start monitoring your menstrual cycle as soon as possible to identify patterns and ensure you’re ovulating regularly each month.
The sooner you start tracking your cycle, the more time you will have to collect information to learn about your body’s cycle. There are lots of free fertility apps that allow you to track your cycle and add additional information like symptoms and basal body temperature.
To accurately pinpoint your fertile window, you’ll eventually need an ovulation prediction kit (OPK). These kits detect your LH surge, which triggers the release of an egg roughly 12-36 hours afterward.
We’re using both the Premom LH Test Strips and the Inito Fertility Monitor with their corresponding apps to track ovulation.
3. Know which vial types you can use
- ICI (unwashed) vials
- IUI (washed) vials
Either ICI or IUI vials can be used when performing an ICI. A home insemination involves the placement of sperm into the vagina, mimicking the process that occurs during intercourse. Since the sample isn’t being placed directly into the uterus, the vials can be “unwashed.” You can also use “washed” vials because they’re safe for an ICI procedure. They’ve just gone through an extra step to clear out extra seminal fluid.
Some prefer ICI vials since the extra seminal fluid present in the sample may help sperm travel up into the uterus. But based on sperm count alone, there is no reason to believe that one vial type is more successful than the other.
4. Perform the insemination
Once your LH has surged, you need to decide when to inseminate and properly perform your ICI.
Cryos International recommends inseminating 12 to 24 hours after your first detection of an LH surge.
- Thaw the sperm vial using instructions provided by the bank you chose.
- The person intending to carry should lie on their back with hips raised by a pillow.
- Use a syringe to draw up the sperm, gently insert the syringe into the vagina as close to the cervix as possible. Slowly push the plunger until empty and leave in place for about 15 seconds before slowly removing it. Some sperm banks provide a syringe for insemination or there are syringes for insemination available for purchase online.
- Remain lying down after your ICI for at least 30 minutes. Some women choose to lay in place longer.
5. Extra Tips for your Home Insemination
This last step to our home insemination guide discusses extra tid bits of info you may find useful before your ICI!
These are topics I’ve frequently come across online. Here is what I’ve found when doing my research. Let’s look at the internet lore!
Should you orgasm?
- An orgasm may help with sperm transport but currently, there isn’t any solid evidence to prove a connection between orgasming and fertility. It couldn’t hurt to try it though!
Does low dose aspirin help you get pregnant?
- There is no data to support this. There was a study that suggests low dose aspirin at least 4 days a week COULD improve the odds for pregnancy. You should ask your doctor if this is something you are considering. Aspirin can increase the risk of side effects like bleeding.
Should you use a vaginal lubricant?
- Many lubricants were deemed not sperm friendly. A systemic review showed that Pre-Seed had minimal adverse impact on sperm. So this should be safe to use in terms of not harming sperm, but not sure if it would actually help you get pregnant. We don’t plan to use it, but it may work for some!
Can Mucinex (guaifenesin) help you get pregnant?
- There is no solid evidence to confirm this. There is an old study from 1982 that shows it may improve cervical mucus. Ask your doctor if guaifenesin is worth taking when trying to conceive.
Additional Sources:
Seattle Sperm Bank, Cleveland Clinic, Clear Blue, Shady Grove Fertility, PubMed
More info for performing an ICI from sperm banks’ ‘How to Inseminate at Home’ pages below.
Disclaimer: THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST AND ON THIS WEBSITE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTION FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.
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Understanding the Menstrual Cycle for Fertility Tracking
Comparing Sperm Banks in the USA
