Self insemination!

[boofer1502]

For the last few years now me and my partner have been trying to get pregnant. We have tried ivf and other methods but no luck. We are both fine fertility wise we just seem to be going wrong somewhere!
So.. we have decided to do things on our own and go for the self insemination route to save a few pennies at this rate. I am currently ovulating so we have done one insemination ( ovulation day is predicated to be the 1st) I have read online and done the research. BUT... can fresh sperm be used/stored over night and still be as effective is stored right? My partner leaves tomorrow and I'd love to inseminate on my actual ovulation date as well.. but partner won't be home 😔 so I thought I would come to the lovely forum of you knowledgeable people to see if I can actually store sperm overnight? Or does it have to be used within that hour period after ejaculation?

Sorry for the too much info by the way!!
Thank you!!

No idea on self insemination sorry but I do know when my DH had his sperm sample for testing for infertility and a few times for ivf it had to be fresh within the hour so would imagine you can’t store it.

Hi OP - we're just going to move this one over to conception for you

Thank you! Sorry for posting in the wrong section 🤦🏼‍♀️
I did think it would have to be within the hour.. hopefully with doing it prior to ovulation day it can still work it's magic! Xx

You're not a laboratory so I don't think keeping it in the fridge overnight is going to work even if you could keep it in a sterile environment .....even with IVF if you do the sample at home most say the sperm has to be with them within 20mins (other places it's an hour). It's only in the right conditions (eg YOUR UTERUS!) that it can live several days

Sperm starts to break down in quality very shortly after leaving the body, even when stored correctly. That's why when men have to have sperm analysis done they usually have to produce the sample while at the hospital, so it can be analysed very shortly after ejaculation. I honestly don't think any of the sperm will survive overnight

Thanks everyone,
I didn't think I would be able to, was just curious to know.
I was told by my GP to leave it 15-20 at room body temperature before inserting so that's what I've done.
I won't ask my partner to leave a sample behind and will retry next month if this time hasn't worked. Thank you for getting back to me, appreciate it very much xx

There's no harm in him leaving a sample and trying tomorrow, surely? Even if it's not effective, it can't hurt. But if it's a case of inseminating tonight OR waiting until tomorrow I'd do it tonight.

DP has just had a sperm analysis done and he had to get it there within 30 minutes. He has some samples frozen and they had to be produced on site so they could be frozen straight away.

As a matter of interest, what is the thought process behind insemination being preferable to actual intercourse?

No point in him leaving a sample the sperm will not survive outside of a body for an extended period. You'd be best off just using whatever sample he was going to provide straightaway and don't worry about it not being on ovulation day it's better to have the sperm in there ready and waiting before ovulation to give it chance to swim to where it needs to be.

Sorry if I’m being thick or asking an inappropriate question, but what’s the point of self-inseminating with your partner’s sperm? I understand if you were using donor sperm but with your own partner - why is it more likely to be successful than just doing it the traditional way?

Good luck btw 🤞🏻

My partner is HIV+ so unprotected sex is a no go for us! Hence the previous year of IVF and now this. I consulted the GP before hand to make sure this was okay and they said to go for it so it's what we're doing! My cycles can be irregular and the stress of it all just gets to you! Just seemed like another way to try with it being more closer to home and in our own comfort zone, more relaxed!
As another posted it's better to have the little fellas up there ready and waiting rather then making it happen on ovulation day.. so I'll just keep at it until my partner leaves!
Thanks guys! Xx

I'm confused?? Apologies in advance for my ignorance but I thought hiv was transmitted in sperm amongst other bodily fluids so if you are not sperm washing in an ivf situation surely the risk of transmission is still there?

Ah shit, that’s rubbish sorry to hear that OP. My partner had an exposure risk at work and had 6 months of PEP, so that gave me a little window into what you guys are dealing with, and I did a lot of research just-in-case at the time (I’m an over thinker/worrier, thankfully he tested negative after the PEP).

My understanding was that self-insemination in these situations would be to protect a negative man from contracting HIV from a positive woman, not the other way around? Anyway, if your partner’s viral load is well controlled on treatment transmission risk can be virtually zero. Or I’m pretty sure PrEP is safe for use during conception/pregnancy. Might be worth having a consultation with someone who is more specialist than a GP perhaps?