Home insemination

[Whatdoingmummy]

Hi,

Me & DF have been TTC for 3 years. All of our fertility tests have come back ok. We've been 'diagnosed' with unexplained infertility & advised to save for IVF. We don't qualify for it on the NHS because I have an 8yo DD with previous partner.

DF over the last year has been working away Mon-Fri which isn't ideal but can't be helped. I'm thinking of suggesting home insemination. Has anyone done this before? Would DF need to produce multiple samples & freeze it?
Any help appreciated, I am totally drained with it all & feel I may be clutching at straws!

[Persipan]

I'm not clear on how you'd propose to freeze the sperm? A domestic freezer isn't anywhere cold enough; cryopreservation requires much colder temperatures. (Plus I have no idea what else the lab staff do to prepare samples for freezing.) I appreciate your frustration, but I just don't see this working, I'm afraid!

[Whatdoingmummy]

Thank you for your reply Persipan, I thought as much. I was googling away like you do at silly o clock & saw kits to do this at home, but only mentioned fresh sperm.

I really think I have driven myself insane!

[crazyfools]

I think sperm has to be "fresh" like 20 mins or so (when you have to to tests at the doctors it definitely needs to be given in the last hour but many clinics it's 20 mins) so not sure how that would work with your partner working away all week.

If your fertile period fell during the week I would try and pop over to see DF wherever he is - hopefully he doesnt work out of the country 🤣 - can anyone have your DD for 1 night a month?? X

[crazyfools]

Also not sure about keeping things sterile etc and so wouldn't want anything going in unmentionable places and risking an infection (which might cause more harm than good to your fertility) x