Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of the female, by using means other than sexual intercourse. It is increasingly used by single women and lesbian couples to conceive using donor sperm. It is also used as an assisted reproductive technique, to treat infertility using sperm from the woman's male partner or sperm from a sperm donor (donor sperm) where the male partner produces no sperm.

Artificial insemination using a home insemination kit may also be used by hetersexual couples, either because sexual intercourse is physically difficult or simply to act as an alternative method, to try and increase success rates.

It is recommended that artificial insemination is performed at a HFEA regulated fertility clinic, whereby they will undertake all the necessary health screening and infection testing on the donor. However if you are looking to enter into a co-parenting arrangement, with a donor who you have got to know well over a period of time, you may choose to consider home insemination using an artificial insemination kit, after completion of health screening tests.

Home insemination is the process of artiificial insemination using an insemination kit. The process has the benefit of being able to be undertaken in the comfort of your own home and can be performed by the recipient or if you in a couple, your partner can be involved in the insemination procedure. Home insemination is also useful for heterosexual couples who may be experiencing fertility problems and wish to enhance their chances of conception. For more information on home insemination see our pages on artificial insemination kits.

An artificial insemination kit contains everything needed to successfully achieve conception using donor sperm. The standard kit includes a digital thermometer and temperature chart to help determine ovulation, ovulation tests, female fertility tests and pregnancy tests along with syringes, sample containers and instructions. Our Deluxe artificial insemination kit has the added benefit of vaginal speculums, syringe extender tips, sperm friendly vaginal lubricant and folic acid vitamins. There are many different types of insemination kits available on the Pride Angel shop

Successful conception can take up to a year to achieve, so your donor or co-parent must be committed to give regular semen donations perhaps for some time. To increase your chance of conception we recommend the use of ovulation tests, which accurately determine the best day to perform insemination (contained within our insemination kit). Using ovulation tests along with charting basal body tempertature to work out your 'fertile window' can reduce the number of inseminations necessary and some women may fall pregnant between one to three months.

It is best to inseminate during the 'fertile window' which is normally around 4 days mid-cycle. Inseminations should be started 3 days before ovulation and then every other day until after ovulation. Normally 2-3 inseminations per month are sufficient. It is best to leave 48 hours between samples to allow the testes to build up more sperm, giving a larger quanity and quality of semen (Donors should obstain from ejaculation during the time of giving semen samples). For more information on ovulation and the best time to perform artificial insemination see our pages on ovulation.