Getting Pregnant

Getting pregnant for single, lesbian or infertile couples is mostly achieved by artificial insemination.

This is ideally performed in a fertility clinic, however it can be successfully achieved using home insemination with an artificial insemination kit.

It is important to know the best time to inseminate in order to give the best chance of getting pregnant, with the least number of attempts. Successful conception may take at least three months to achieve by inseminating 2-3 times per month around the 'fertile window'. For some individuals pregnancy may take up to a year, therefore a regular commitment must be made by the donor.

Conception

Occurs when a man's sperm fertilises a woman's egg. A woman is most likely to conceive just after the time when she ovulates, when an egg has been released from one of her ovaries. Sperm are placed into the vagina using a syringe during artificial insemination. The sperm swims through the cervix into the uterus, and the then into the fallopian tube. One sperm meets the egg and fertilises it, this is when conception has taken place. During the week after fertilisation the embryo moves into the uterus, attaches itself to the lining. Hormones released by the embryo and the ovary prevent shedding of the uterus lining, causing the woman to miss her period.

The best time to get pregnant

An egg lives for about 12-24 hours after it is released from the ovary. If conception is to take place it must be fertilised within this time. Sperm can live for several days inside the woman's body. If insemination takes place a day or so before ovulation, the sperm will have time to travel up the fallopian tubes and will be waiting when the egg is released.

Ovulation

In most women ovulation happens 10-16 days before the start of the next period. To ensure that insemination is undertaken at the correct time it is vital is use an ovulation test, to identify the correct day. it is best to use the ovulation test from 16 days before your period is due, then daily until you identity the correct day.