Artificial Insemination

[Nerthus]

Dear Mumsnetters

A friend of mine for various reasons needs to conceive without having sex, and doesn't know where to get the gear from, ie syringes etc. When one types in 'Artificial Insemination' into the Net it just gives one lots of info about cows etc, which is not terribly useful. Does anyone know any helpful websites where one can get stuff like this, and also some advice about how to go about it?

Thanks very much

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Thank you for your help Dadslib, I'll pass on the info to my mate. She's actually rather shy and retiring so probably unlikely to want to discuss stuff of such a delicate personal nature via emails with someone she doesn't know, least of all a man, but I'll pass on the message and am sure she'll appreciate the thought anyhow!

Presume the specimen pot and syringe have to be sterile? If so, can you boil and reuse them or have you to buy new ones for each go? Is there also some centrifuge type thing (salad spinner?!) which one can use to separate the sperm? I think I'd heard there was such a thing, or maybe I'm getting confused.

Thank you!

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Thanks again for the info, Dadslib! It's very helpful. I'll pass it on to my friend.

Your friend might want to contact Women's Health in London, who offer advice about self-insemination. There is not much on their website, but they do have a helpline number, which could be a good place to start.

Hello!

Can't believe I missed this thread..! Having conceived twice via syringe and yoghurt pot (dp the first time and me now) I can possibly help. We got our syringe - you get a 'starter pack' from an organisation called Pink Parents. They've got a website, which I think is www.pinkparents.org (or com), and you can buy the starter pack for not very much. You'll get a syringe and ovulation charts and some info. for the mum-to-be and donor re: using a clean pot etc.

We didn't sterilise stuff - you just need a clean dry (this is very important as water kills sperm!) yoghurt pot. Sperm can live for several hours, but I agree with Dadslib - the first 10 minutes are really the most crucial - requires a bit of expert time management! The advice Pink Parents gives is to get the sperm within 20 minutes at the most and keep it warm while it's in the pot!

You could also get a syringe from a chemist - just say you need one to give medicine to your baby (or from a vets, saying you need to give medicine to your cat!).

You don't need to have an orgasm (our children are proof of this - we were too busy giggling!) but it probably helps..! I think it helped (but who knows) to lie with a pillow under your bum for 15 - 20 minutes afterwards - this again is what Pink Parents recommend.

Good luck to your friend -and any more advice I'd be happy to help!