You can do home insemination (whack the sperm up your ladyparts and let it do its thing) no problem; but actual IUI involves passing a catheter through your cervix which would be both impractical and unwise to try at home. (Like, how would you be planning to do this?)

The cramping thing with IUI is because with sex/natural insemination, the sperm have to swim through your cervix and the journey effectively washes them on the way; IUI bypasses that and puts the sperm straight into your uterus so doing it with unwashed sperm would introduce substances into your uterus that would never normally be there.

OP look online there is a lot of information out there. eBay and Amazon sell insemination kits that include a speculum and tubing, or you could try your luck with just a syringe. Hope that helps.

Hi, DH and I tried self-insemination at home. DH has problems ejaculating through intercourse, it has been a problem for him for as long as he can remember and it never caused issues with our sex life, but obvs is a problem when TTC. When we first started TTC we werent in any rush and just worked on getting him able to ejaculate through intercourse and although we managed to make improvements it never solved the problem. As time went on we decided to use home IUI as a backup, during fertile window we had the option if his problem happened. We didn't go for the catheter or tubing, just a medical syringe and a cup for him to do the business in. Unfortunately we were never successful and have since started IUI (through both private clinics and NHS). When discussing our history in both clinics the consultants all seemed happy enough with us having tried it at home, although one did say that without catheter etc the chances of success are lower although not impossible.

Re cramping, having had both home IUI and IUI in hospital I actually think I experienced more after the 'official' IUI's than I did with the home ones, I put that down to catheter.

It is definitely worth trying at home, there are plenty of success stories on this site, or there were when i was looking over a year ago.

Done with just a syringe is not actually IUI, though, snowy. But I think the OP is probably asking more about home insemination in much the way you did it (and indeed so did I) and yes, this can absolutely work. I did actually get pregnant twice in this way using frozen sperm (which is much less likely to work than fresh) and even though I'm no spring chicken. (Unfortunately I miscarried both times, but that had nothing to do with home insemination.) Done with fresh sperm, and barring any underlying fertility issues on either side, the chances are actually pretty reasonable.

snowy you and I are in the same position, good to know we aren’t alone, could have written your post.

Good luck with the home insemination op!

If if fails defo try iui although I’m not sure I’d be comfortable doing that at home, but that’s just me/us ☺️

Planegazer, it can be so frustrating everything is working individually but just not coming together (excuse the pun), keep thinking we have to be successful sometime, it's the only thing that keeps me going.

No, I wouldn't try a full on IUI at home, no offence to DH but he is coming nowhere near me with a speculum and catheter . One of our doctors did mention some tubing that we could use (she actually said it was like a straw) that would get the sample in further than a syringe might do, but they had none to give us that day

snowy did you have iui at a clinic in the end?

We are awaiting the rest of our tests but consultant has said he’d like to try this instead of full ivf.

I’m looking forward to getting started even though success rates are low 😏

I had three cycles at a private clinic which unfortunately didn't work. NHS put us on wait list for IVF but also offered us 6 IUI which we could do while waiting on IVF coming through, so am currently in the 2nd half of TWW on cycle 2 with NHS.

We went private originally because waitlist for a consultation on NHS was a year, doc there advised starting with IUI since our test results were all good. We have enough saved for 1 private IVF but I want to keep that as last resort and work through NHS cycles first.

Success rates might not be great but I think it's worth a shot in our situations, also it's less invasive and less of an emotional strain (lower hormone dosages)

Gosh! I need to move near you! What a great nhs offering! We only get 2 goes at standard ivf and that’s it. It’s been 4 months since our NHS referral and we’ve heard nothing except to say they have our referral and will see us in due course.... hence why we went private too.

Thanks for the advice i completely agree with you on trying this first :)

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!! 😘 are you at a different clinic now I take it? How do your experiences compare?

We only get 1 cycle of IVF on NHS here (plus an FET if there aren't any viable for freezing) though so def glad for the IUI.

Yes am in a different clinic now. My private IUI was at a private only clinic and IUI is through my local hospital. There is only one NHS hospital here (Northern Ireland) that does IVF, but a few of the smaller hospitals do IUI.

Experiences in private and NHS are fairly similar, main difference is in NHS I will only see a doctor if something unusual happens, the nurse does everything. In private clinic the consultants did the procedures. Also in private clinic they provided PG tests and wipes to clean up with, NHS don't give me that. BUT on NHS they give me gas and air during insemination which is great

Thanks for that snowy! That’s good to know!

Laughed at the nhs not giving you anything to clean up with though 🙈 dear me!

The joys of the NHS planegazer that being said, the differences between the two treatment centres was minimal and I couldn't really fault the NHS treatment I've received so far