Becoming a parent might be your dream, but unexplained fertility issues or privacy concerns can be a hindrance. If so, then you can consider IUI at home.
Intrauterine insemination is the best fertility treatment for young couples who are trying to conceive. But, is it possible to do an IUI treatment at home? Yeah, you can.
All you need is clarity about IUI treatments, how to use the at-home insemination kit, and more. Know such things in detail from the upcoming sections.
The Concept of IUI at Home
Intrauterine Insemination is an artificial insemination technique that increases the chances of pregnancy. This process places the sperm directly into the uterus through your cervix with the help of a flexible tube, catheter.
Well, the same concept repeats but the action takes place in your home. And instead of doctors, you’ll independently do such procedures with your partner. The most important advantage of this method is the level of convenience, privacy, and process simplification.
People prefer this treatment for such reasons. But, what exactly do you do in this process? Let’s know about them in the following sections.
Who is a Good Candidate for IUI at Home?
Intrauterine insemination is a good choice for patients with such conditions.
- Couples feel intercourse is difficult.
- Severe pain during sex.
- Difficulty achieving ejaculation during penetrative sex.
- Woman who is looking for donar’s sperms to get pregnant.
- Cervical issues, mild endometriosis, and irregular ovulation cycles.
- Couples with unexplained infertility issues.
- Privacy concerns and hesitation to visit a gynecologist.
Process of IUI at home
Couples must track some important details before starting the Intrauterine insemination at home. They need to thoroughly examine and understand your male partner’s reproductive health and female partner’s ovulation phase.
First, the timing of insemination is important. You can inject the sperm only during the ovulation phase, so track it carefully. Then, the sperms should be healthy and washed properly. Therefore, you need to be aware of the current status of fertility health. You can check it with the help of fertility experts.
Use the at-home insemination kit for a successful IUI process at home.
- Fit the thick end of the adapter to the syringe.
- Use the alcohol pad to clean the straw.
- Cut the sealed end of the straw using scissors.
- Now, place the cut end of the straw into the adapter’s thin end.
- Keep the syringe upright and gently draw it into the syringe.
- Lay down comfortably and use a pillow to raise the hips.
- Insert the syringe into the vaginal canal as far as possible.
- Inject the sperm into the vagina.
After the Procedure
Once the insemination is over, you need to lay still in place at least for 30 minutes. This helps the sperm to travel to the uterus and increase the possibility of pregnancy. You need to wait until 2 weeks to know whether the IUI at home is a success or failure.
Success Rates of IUI at Home
Success rate of IUI at home is slightly lesser than the rate of IUI at fertility clinics. You can improve the chances of success through some practices.
First, you need to track the ovulation cycle and inject the washed sperm at the right time. You must know how to use the home insemination kit and the correct usage of syringes. Make sure to try this method at the optimal position. If you bring such things into concern, then the success rate also improves.
Pros and Cons of IUI at Home
Artificial insemination provides various benefits for couples who face trouble in conceiving. Here are some benefits and drawbacks of IUI at home discussed, check it once.
Pros: The major advantage of IUI at home is privacy concerns. Some people hate to open up their private issues even with the doctors. So, IUI at home can be a great relief for them.
Cons: There is a possibility of using unwashed sperms, so the womb would reject them as they are too acidic. Lack of using at-home insemination kits means increased probability of failure or severe infection. Plus, the home environment could not be a great place for injecting sperms.
Women may experience spotting and have the possibilities of multiple pregnancies. Ensure you follow safe practices and ask for doctor’s advice before IUI at home.
At-home insemination or IUI: Which is the best?
Intrauterine insemination and at-home insemination are the two different types of artificial insemination techniques. The major difference between these two methods is the sperm placementation.
In Intracervical insemination, sperm is placed into the cervix, where it is placed into the uterus using the tube or syringe. However, choosing Intrauterine insemination over at-home insemination is a good choice. This method has improved successful rates because of sperm placements.
When to Seek Professional Help?
You can independently do IUI at home, but you must know the risks in this process. Knowing the consequences clearly shows when to seek professional assistance.
Generally, the sperms are washed properly before beginning the IUI. But, sperms may remain unwashed and unprepared when doing this treatment at home. Pushing the unwashed sperms could result in sperm rejection and cause cramps.
So, if your wife experiences severe pain after or while injecting, you can call the doctor. And also, you can consult the fertility expert before beginning the IUI for better understanding.
Final Words
So, artificial insemination at home is possible. But, the success and failure depends upon how you use the kit and your reproductive health conditions. Don’t expect too much, because visiting the fertility clinic for IUI offers improved results than doing it at home. Moreover, it could be your first time trying IUI at home. Therefore, discuss with your doctor to know about your health conditions and get clarity whether IUI at home works or not.
FAQs
Yes, you can collect sperm at home. Sperms must be collected in a clean specimen container with a lid. You can’t collect sperm in a bag or a condom. You can directly ejaculate sperm into the provided container at the fertility clinic.
Yes, you can inject donor sperm through plastic, needleless syringe into the uterus. In the home insemination method, male partner’s or donor’s sperm will be introduced into the female’s reproductive tract without sexual intercourse.
You can inject your husband’s sperm into your uterus gently through the syringe while doing IUI treatment at home. When your partner’s reproductive health is poor or with any infertility issues, then you need to rely on the donor’s sperm.
The infertility issues can be ejaculation problems, hormonal issues, blockage along the reproductive tract, or other issues with testicular structure or function. You can take semen analysis test at labs or use at-home self-test kits to check the sperm quality at home.
The Mosie syringe is exclusively designed for the home insemination process. You can use normal needleless or the specially designed syringe to suck the sperms and push it into the uterus. Make sure to wash the sperms after ejaculation.
Washing sperm is necessary for better IUI results. Consulting the fertility expert is a great choice to get clarity about washing sperms. Otherwise, you can use a sperm friendly solution to a raw sample.
This washing process helps to remove extra fluid, eliminate dead sperms, bacteria, debris, and weak sperms. It also eliminates prostaglandins causing uterine cramps.
