Home IUI UK ?? Advice and tips

[dohertyttc]

Hi everyone,
First post on here so bear with me.
I started my ttc journey 2 years ago via Al with a known donor as my fiance is infertile. we conceived luckily on the first try but unforgivably miscarried the pregnancy.
Im looking to consider trying again with a new donor but changing the method to home iui.

Question is ive seen a few videos on on youtube about home iui, mainly american so have a little understand and have read a few old threads on here that are out of date.

Anyone here that i can talk with that has tried to conceive using donor sperm via home iui??
what are the things i need to know or be aware of.
what kit do i need to buy/ best place to buy??
is it safe to use fresh sperm without it being washed?

Sorry for all the questions but i just want to make sure i know information before deciding on this route. :)

Home insemination (IVI) is perfectly safe with unwashed sperm (provided the donor has been screened for STIs, obviously, but you'd need that to happen anyway because of course the 'washing' for IUI has no impact on those). Actual IUI is not because it could cause significant and problematic cramping, but quite frankly I can't think why anyone would want to attempt to introduce a catheter through their own cervix anyway.

Slightly different, but from what I've read, you cannot use fresh unwashed sperm for iui. It needs to be washed.

Definitely needs to be washed, unwashed semen can cause intense pain and spasms/cramps and infection. The uterus is a sterile area, so if you plan to do IUI at home make sure that you 100% use aseptic sterile technique. Otherwise any introduction of bacteria or pathogens into the uterus can be very dangerous, it can cost you months of trying if you get an infection. It's not something any doctor or midwife would recommend unless you have training in it.

My partner and I were going to do it, until I started reading up on the risks, I then took it one step further and read stories of women who had needed ICU admissions for uterine infections, a few women I read about has basically ruined their chances of conceiving without medical help due to infection.