A few tips to help you become
pregnant through artificial insemination!
Sperm may be frozen and shipped to your international
address when you use a US sperm bank.
You cannot freeze sperm at home as the temperature needs
to be much lower than is possible without specialist
equipment. When you make an arrangement with a privately
listed sperm donor therefore you will need to collect
a fresh sample.
This is all you need to prepare and do...
Supplies needed:
Needleless syringe or oral medicine syringe
Collection cup, baggy or condom
(Optional) Saline without additives or preservatives
(Optional) Tube to attach to syringe
(Optional) Mild germicidal soap
You can ask your doctor for a needleless syringe or you can buy an oral medicine syringe at just about any
drugstore/ chemist. Buy the syringe with a plunger, not a bulb end (not the mini turkey baster!). The syringes work pretty much the same way. One that is maybe 4 inches long, or longer, is probably best. The oral medicine syringes have about a half inch narrow tip on the end. You can attach a catheter (thin tube) to either kind of syringe but you don't need to and it may waste more of the semen to use one.
a) Take a clean or sterile glass or plastic cup, baggy, or collection condom and have the male ejaculate into it. You'll probably have better luck getting the semen out of a cup since you could suck the baggy or condom up to the syringe and block the opening, but you may get a larger sample with the baggy or condom. You can use a tiny bit of saline, without additives/preservatives, to help get as much sperm as possible into the syringe, but you don't need to worry too much about leaving a little behind. If you are using frozen sperm, you need to ask the sperm bank for directions on thawing.
b) Draw back on the syringe once with nothing but air, then push the air out again.
c) Draw back on the syringe again, but this time have the end of it in the semen -- the vacuum created by pulling back on the stopper will suck the semen into the syringe.
d) Try to tap out any air bubbles since you don't want to inject air into your vagina. You can do this by slowly rotating the syringe until the opening is facing up. Tap the air bubbles to the top and them push the plunger in on the catheter just a small amount -- enough to get rid of air w/o squirting semen out.
e) Get into a position where you can either stay comfortably for a half hour or can get into the position w/ minimal movement. Ideal is to either have hips raised or to lay on your side making sure your pelvis is canted (usually hips provide natural angle if you hips are wider than your waist, but if your bed, or wherever you are lying, is soft, you may want to put a pillow or two underneath your hip).
f) Slowly glide the syringe, or catheter, into the vagina until it is close to the cervix -- but do not try to get it into the cervix and do this gently. Your goal is to coat the outside of the cervix and to deposit as much sperm as possible as close the cervix as you can get it.
g) SLOWLY inject sperm. If you do it too fast, it can squirt out of the vagina or at least spray away from the cervix.
h) If you are concerned about wastage in the syringe, you can use some saline, without additives . . . add some to the syringe, shake it a bit, get the air out, and inject. This is not necessary since there probably won't be enough wastage to be of concern.
i) Try to have an orgasm -- Some suggest that using a vibrator for clitoral stimulation produces a bigger, more powerful orgasm. Use whatever method works best for you (unless it requires lots of water!). The orgasm helps the cervix dip into the vaginal pool and suck up sperm -- it helps get more sperm up there, and may speed sperm travel. Avoid penetration (as in intercourse or with vibrator). This falls in the can't hurt, might help category.
j) You can use water and a mild germicidal soap to clean your supplies if they will have time to dry completely before re-use, or run very hot water over them. Otherwise you can use saline to clean everything.
Timing for this kind of insemination is the same as for intercourse -- if possible. The best timing is the day before LH surge (as detected with an ovulation predictor kit), day of LH surge, and next 2-3 days, the last day or two being insurance. If you don't have all those options, the day of the LH surge and the day after are best.
The advantage to this method is that you don't need any fitted equipment! You don't even need a speculum (though you can use one).
The success rate is the same as with intercourse, although there are usually fewer opportunities for insemination and timing may not cover the bases as well.
I'd love to hear your success stories so please do keep
me posted with
any exciting news!
I wish you all the best, please let me know if I can
help further. Good luck!
Emma
:-)
Self Insemination
What is self insemination ?
DIY (do-it-yourself) or self-insemination, is a method in which the woman (or her partner ) inserts semen into the vagina herself, without medical assistance. This is surprisingly easy - and a useful technique for single women, lesbian and infertile couples, and heterosexual couples with sexual dysfunction.
How to self-inseminate - what is needed
The most important ingredient is freshly ejaculated semen that is inseminated within 90 minutes max). Ask your donor to ejaculate in a clean glass or plastic container. Make sure this is wide-mouthed, so it’s easier for him to aim accurately – you want it all!
You can also use frozen semen samples from a sperm bank, after allowing them to thaw at room temperature. Visit our Directory for listings of sperm bank - usually in the USA- that will ship overseas if you live outside of the US
After the semen sample has liquefied (this takes about 30 minutes), you are now ready to self-inseminate. Suck up the semen sample into a 10-ml plastic disposable syringe (without a needle) or use a turkey baster- although the small amount of semen does not require such a large instrument.
The semen now needs to be squirted into the vagina- and as this is sometimes tricky you may want to have practised this a few times first- using water. . You need to lie on a bed, with your knees and thighs bent, and your knees wide apart. Guides the tip of the syringe into the vagina and put the syringe in as deep as you can before plunging the barrel, depositing the semen into the vagina. Ideally you should try to have an orgasm during the process- by stimulating the clitoris- not through penetration of insertion of anything such as a vibrator. The only thing to go insidethe vagina is the syringe!
You may find it easier to lie on the edge of the bed, with a pillow under hips so that your hips protrude over the edge whil you undertake the procedure . You can remain lying on your back for about ten minutes, after which you can resume normal activity. Some of the semen will leak out, and this is normal.
While using a speculum is not essential, it can help, because it makes it easier to inject the semen at the mouth of the uterus (the cervix). You can use a disposable plastic speculum, and when you insert the speculum, make sure the blades are closed. You can slide it in upwards, or else sideways, turning it when it has been pushed all the way into your vagina. When the handles are above your pubic bone, squeeze them together, which will open your vaginal walls. You will hear a click when the speculum is locked open. If you are inseminating with a partner s/he will be able to see your cervix, which is round and pink with an opening (the os) in the middle. The mucus may appear as a clear bubble, or a thread like raw egg white. You can use a mirror to see what’s going on for yourself, if you so desire! After the insemination, make sure that you release the handles and collapse the blades before removing it from your vagina.
Some women use a cup or cap for self-insemination. Rubber cervical caps are designed for contraception (hence the name "cap") but they can be used for insemination. There is also a cervical cup especially designed for insemination, which is slightly larger and more shallow, the name "cup" indicating that it serves as a semen receptacle. You simply squat down, check the position of your cervix, and insert the cap containing the semen in that direction, holding it upright at all times. Check all around the top of your vagina to make sure that you didn’t miss you cervix. The cup can be removed after several hours. Take care to break the suction by hooking a finger over the edge of it before trying to pull it out.
Timing the procedure is extremely important, because you need to inseminate during your "fertile period". Fortunately, it’s quite easy to determine when you ovulate, and you can either monitor your cervical mucus, or use an ovulation prediction kit.
Ways
to artificially inseminate sperm for donor conception
There
are basically 3 ways of doing an at-home insemination:
The
so-called Turkey Baster Method, though
it is smarter to use a needleless syringe or an oral
medicine syringe.
Insemination using a Cervical Cap, Diaphragm
or Instead Cup.
Using a Cervical Cap with Access Tube such as the Oligiosperma Cup from Milex, (Needs to be
purchased through a doctor. This is a cervical cap with
a tube for adding sperm after the cup is in place.
(And
the 4th method is an intra-cervical insemination --
it is more painful, no more effective, and your doctor
needs to give you equipment and train you.)
TURKEY BASTER METHOD (NEEDLELESS SYRINGE)
Supplies needed:
Needleless
syringe or oral medicine syringe
Collection cup, baggy or condom
(Optional) Saline without additives or preservatives
(Optional) Tube to attach to syringe
(Optional) Mild germicidal soap
You can ask your doctor for a needleless syringe or
you can buy an oral medicine syringe at just about any
drugstore or in Wal*Mart near the children's thermometers.
Buy the syringe with a plunger, not a bulb end (not
the mini turkey baster!). The syringes work pretty much
the same way. One that is maybe 4 inches long, or longer,
is probably best. The oral medicine syringes have about
a half inch narrow tip on the end. You can attach a
catheter (thin tube) to either kind of syringe but you
don't need to and it may waste more of the semen to
use one.
a)
Take a clean or sterile glass or plastic cup, baggy,
or collection condom and have the male ejaculate into
it. You'll probably have better luck getting the semen
out of a cup since you could suck the baggy or condom
up to the syringe and block the opening, but you may
get a larger sample with the baggy or condom. You can
use a tiny bit of saline, without additives/preservatives,
to help get as much sperm as possible into the syringe,
but you don't need to worry too much about leaving a
little behind. If you are using frozen sperm, you need
to ask the sperm bank for directions on thawing.
b)
Draw back on the syringe once with nothing but air,
then push the air out again.
c)
Draw back on the syringe again, but this time have the
end of it in the semen -- the vacuum created by pulling
back on the stopper will suck the semen into the syringe.
d)
Try to tap out any air bubbles since you don't want
to inject air into your vagina. You can do this by slowly
rotating the syringe until the opening is facing up.
Tap the air bubbles to the top and them push the plunger
in on the catheter just a small amount -- enough to
get rid of air w/o squirting semen out.
e)
Get into a position where you can either stay comfortably
for a half hour or can get into the position w/ minimal
movement. Ideal is to either have hips raised or to
lay on your side making sure your pelvis is canted (usually
hips provide natural angle if you hips are wider than
your waist, but if your bed, or wherever you are lying,
is soft, you may want to put a pillow or two underneath
your hip).
f)
Slowly glide the syringe, or catheter, into the vagina
until it is close to the cervix -- but do not try to
get it into the cervix and do this gently. Your goal
is to coat the outside of the cervix and to deposit
as much sperm as possible as close the cervix as you
can get it.
g)
SLOWLY inject sperm. If you do it too fast, it can squirt
out of the vagina or at least spray away from the cervix.
h)
If you are concerned about wastage in the syringe, you
can use some saline, without additives . . . add some
to the syringe, shake it a bit, get the air out, and
inject. This is not necessary since there probably won't
be enough wastage to be of concern.
i)
Try to have an orgasm -- Some suggest that using a vibrator
for clitoral stimulation produces a bigger, more powerful
orgasm. Use whatever method works best for you (unless
it requires lots of water!). The orgasm helps the cervix
dip into the vaginal pool and suck up sperm -- it helps
get more sperm up there, and may speed sperm travel.
Avoid penetration (as in intercourse or with vibrator).
This falls in the can't hurt, might help category.
j)
You can use water and a mild germicidal soap to clean
your supplies if they will have time to dry completely
before re-use, or run very hot water over them. Otherwise
you can use saline to clean everything.
Timing
for this kind of insemination is the same as for intercourse
-- if possible. The best timing is the day before LH
surge (as detected with an ovulation predictor kit),
day of LH surge, and next 2-3 days, the last day or
two being insurance. If you don't have all those options,
the day of the LH surge and the day after are best.
The
advantage to this method is that you don't need any
fitted equipment! You don't even need a speculum (though
you can use one).
The
success rate is the same as with intercourse, perhaps
a bit less because there are usually fewer opportunities
for insemination and timing may not cover the bases
as well.
CERVICAL CAP / DIAPHRAGM / INSTEAD CUP
Supplies needed:
Cervical
Cap, Diaphragm or Instead Cup
(Optional) Collection cup, baggy or condom
(Optional) Needleless syringe or oral medicine syringe
(Optional) Saline without additives or preservatives
(Optional) Mild germicidal soap
Both the cervical cap and diaphragm are items that you
are usually fitted with by a doctor. The Instead Cup
is actually a cup that women use to hold their period
blood instead of a tampon or pad, and is available OTC.
They all come with directions on insertion, but I will
give a little detail here. This is something you may
want to practice doing to try to avoid spilling the
semen.
a)
You can either have ejaculation directly in the cap/diaphragm/cup,
or into another clean receptacle (glass or plastic cup,
baggy collection condom). You may need a needleless
or oral medicine syringe to get the semen from the collection
receptacle to the cap/diaphragm/cup.
b)
Fold the cap/diaphragm/cup in half so the upper rim
in closed enough to hold in the semen.
c)
Get into a comfortable position for insertion -- standing
with leg up on chair/toilet, sitting wide legged on
toilet . . . whatever works for you. You can also have
your partner insert it, but practice first.
d)
Once the cap/diaphragm/cup is in place, try to have
an orgasm. Penetration is OK, but maybe not the best
idea . . . As stated above some suggest that using a
vibrator for clitoral stimulation produces a bigger,
more powerful orgasm. The orgasm helps the cervix dip
into the vaginal pool and suck up sperm -- it gets more
sperm up there, and may speed sperm travel. It's one
of those can't hurt, might help things.
e)
Leave the cap/diaphragm/cup in place for at least 2-3
hours, but not more than 12 (check directions).
f)
You can use water and a mild germicidal soap to clean
your supplies if they will have time to dry completely
before re-use, or run very hot water over them. Otherwise
you can use saline to clean everything.
Timing
is the same as for intercourse -- if possible. The best
timing is the day before LH surge as detected with an
ovulation predictor kit), day of LH surge, and next
2-3 days, the last day or two being insurance. If you
don't have all those options, the day of the LH surge
and the day after are best.
One
advantage is that you can move around immediately since
the sperm is place next to the cervix and held there.
Disadvantage is that you need to be fitted for the cervical
cap or diaphragm.
The
success rate is the same as with intercourse, perhaps
a bit less because there are usually fewer opportunities
for insemination and timing may not cover the bases
as well.
CERVICAL CAP WITH TUBE
Supplies
needed:
Cervical
Cap with Tube
Collection cup, baggy or condom
Needleless syringe or oral medicine syringe
(Optional) Saline without additives or preservatives
(Optional) Mild germicidal soap
I've only found one such device and it is sold by Milex
to doctors and medical suppliers. You may need to get
it from your doctor. This would be basically the same
as the cervical cap discussion above, only you inject
the sperm through a tube after the catheter is in place.
The
success rate is the same as with intercourse, perhaps
a bit less because there are usually fewer opportunities
for insemination and timing may not cover the bases
as well.
PREPARING DONOR SPERM
No
special preparation is needed for donor sperm collected
locally from a known donor.
Shipped
fresh sperm is generally sent overnight at a cool temperature
similar to a refrigerator. Perparation is as simple
as warming the vial in your hands or bra for a few minutes
before loading into the syringe or cervical cap/diaphragm/instead
cup. Another option is to load the syringe and warm
in your hands before inserting into the vagina. Just
be careful not to spill.
Frozen
sperm should be thawed fairly slowly. The best thing
to do is ask the sperm bank for directions on handling
and warming the sperm. If that information isn't provided,
it is probably best to put the vial into a cup cool
water and turn every minute or two for about 5 minutes.
Then refresh your cup with somewhat warmer water and
continue turning. Repeat until the sperm is thawed.
When the vial is close to body temperature, go about
your insemination with whichever method you've chosen.
Make sure not to get the sperm too warm -- definitely
do not use hot water (not only could it kill the sperm,
but there is the potential of breaking the vial as well).
When
should you artificially inseminate, to increase your chances
of becoming pregnant using a listed sperm donor?
Ovulation
Predictor Info
At
Home Artificial Insemination Links
Saliva
Ovulation Predictor
Saliva Based Ovulation Predictor tests (as are urine based
OPK's) are designed to indicate the most fertile time
within a women's cycle. The Web Womb Site is based on
and fully promotes the FAM method for pregnancy achievement
and recommends that any ovulation predictor test should
be considered as a "fourth" tool in fertility
indication and used along with charting your basal body
temperature, cervical fluid and cervical position.
Click
Here for More Info
Try
out our Fertility Calculator to see when your most
fertile days occur.
Ovulation Calendar/Calculator
N
W Andrology and Cryobank Inc
Understanding
Your Cycle (simplified)
The
monthly fertility pattern which occurs regularly in most
women beginning at puberty and ending at menopause is
called the menstrual cycle. Each cycle is divided into
two parts --- before ovulation and after ovulation. Over
a 28-day period the cycle typically follows this pattern:
Part
1. Day 1 is the day bleeding begins and usually lasts
from 3-5 days. This first part, from menstruation to ovulation,
may vary from 13 to 20 days in length and is referred
to as the follicular phase of the cycle, as this is when
the follicle develops the mature egg. The actual length
may not only differ from one woman to another but also
differs in some women from month to month. It is during
this critical first part of the cycle that fertilization
can occur. The regularity of this pattern may be upset
by such common occurrences as sickness, stress, physical
exertion or even climate changes. A rise in the level
of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) accompanies a change in the
cervical mucous in anticipation of the follicle rupturing
and releasing a mature egg towards the end of this first
half of the cycle. This surge in hormone level can be
detected in your urine and is commonly used to predict
ovulation and your fertile period. The ruptured follicle
becomes the corpus luteum and produces hormones that effect
the rest of the cycle.
Part
2. The second part of the cycle, from ovulation to menstruation,
is about the same length in all women, and is called the
luteal phase. It is during this part that the egg travels
down the fallopian tube toward the uterus --- an event
which consistently occurs 14 to 16 days before the onset
of menstruation regardless of the length of a woman's
menstrual cycle. If a single male sperm unites with the
egg while it is in the tube the fertilized egg may attach
to the spongy lining of the uterus. Pregnancy begins if
this "implantation" takes place. If fertilization
does not take place the egg will break apart in a day
or two. At about Day 25, hormone levels begin to drop.
This causes the lining of the uterus to break down and
in a few days it is shed in a menstrual period. Another
cycle has begun.
Pregnancy
can be detected by the rise in HCG levels, which will
quickly rise after successful implantation of an embryo.
Some home tests can detect this rise as soon as within
10-12 days past ovulation. Go to our
Fertility
Store to view or order LH and HCG test kits.
© Copyright N W Andrology and Cryobank Inc
http://www.nwcryobank.com
Ovulation
Calculator's
How Early Can I Test for Pregnancy?
Though
hCG is produced at different rates in different women,
there are general timelines for deciding when to test.
However, when testing on the early side, do not rely on
one test for conclusive results - especially a negative
result: the hCG threshold for displaying a positive result
on a home pregnancy test may not yet have been reached.
Early
Detection Pregnancy Tests
When
a woman becomes pregnant, the amount of hCG in her system
should be around 25 mIU at 10 dpo (days past ovulation),
50 mIU at 12 dpo, 100 mIU at around two weeks dpo (these
are averages that may deviate among different women).
Test sensitivity equates with early-detection - and the
lower the number, the sooner a test can detect pregnancy.
At 20 MIU test sensitivity, you can begin testing at 7-10
days post ovulation, though the earlier you begin testing,
the higher chance you have of getting a false negative.
Here,
implantation of the fertilized egg needs to take place
before hCG is produced by the developing placenta, and
that generally occurs at 6-10 dpo. If you decide to test
early, make sure you perform a few follow-up tests every
other day using first morning urine. Your hCG levels should
rise exponentially, doubling every 2 days - which means
that the follow up tests should eventually detect pregnancy
if you are, in fact, pregnant.
For
earliest detection of pregnancy, use first morning urine,
as this urine sample contains the most concentrated amount
of hCG. If using first morning urine is not feasible,
avoiding urination for several hours before using a pregnancy
test.
What
Does a Faint Line Mean on a
Pregnancy Test?
read
article
I have between 4 and 6 people that I try to get to
in any one month. 3 of the 6 seem to have very long
ans iregular cycles that does not help me trying to
plan. I am not in a position to take on any more people
at the moment.
However
here is something to help potential recipiants.
I would suggest that people wanting to have a child
start gathering a history of their monthly cycle.
I would suggest monitoring cervical mucose, BBT, urine
stick LH and any body feelings, a salt microscope
is also a good idea. There are a few links I could
supply. The reason for this is that the internet gives
people an average when it calculates ovulation, each
person can differ. If the recipiants had a history
before they met me, at least 3 would have been pregnant.
One couple tried for 3 months with another donor,
3 months with me and then when I suggested getting
a salt microscope, they found they were trying at
the wrong time.... between 7 and 12 days to soon....
needless to say, when the salt microscope was used,
the lady got pregnant the first time.
Quietrman
(UK Sperm Donor)
A
technique to predict ovulation is through the relatively
new method of salivary ferning. There is also an initial
upfront cost when purchasing a mini microscope to test
saliva. Due to an increase in estrogen levels, mucous
membranes have been shown to produce more salt as you
enter the fertile period of your menstrual cycle. This
increase in salt causes saliva to crystallize into fern-like
patterns when viewed through a microscope. These fern-like
patterns are only present when ovulation is about to
begin. During non-fertile periods of the menstrual cycle,
dried saliva will create a random pattern of dots when
dried and viewed through a microscope. Studies have
shown that ferning begins within one to two days of
egg white cervical mucous. Studies also show that using
salivary ferning with other body cues can render a 99%
accuracy rate in predicting ovulation.
hi ,dont know if you can help me here. But i have
a few questions and i dont know who to ask and i thought
of you. Firstly, i may have found a donor who is 40years
old, do u think that is an ok age to go with, im 25.
?? secondly, he lives abut 120 miles away , obviously
it is going to happen through artificial insemination.and
i would be travelling up there to pick it up, but
not sure if travelling back with it for 2 hours is
too long for it to stay ok....? Not sure on how you
could help if at all, but i would be thankful for
any kind of advice, considering i have never done
anything like this before.......
thankyou very much
Hi
Zoe- no, 40 isnt too old and you need to travel there
around the ovulation period so that you can literally
use the syringe there and then. You need to inseminate
as quickly as possible after he has ejaculated - he
will do this into a cup and you use the syringe immediately.
Then stay lying down for at least half an hour. If
I were you I would use an ovulation predictor for
a couple of months so you get to know your cycle,
and then travel up the day before you are due to ovuate.
Stay for a couple of nights, and meet with him for
the two/ three days you are there so you are inseminating
preferably 24 hours before you ovulate and also on
the day your predictor says you are ovulating. Once
sperm is exposed to the air they die pretty quickly
- within 90 mins- so dont transport it or your chances of becoming pregnant
get smaller by the minute.
Good luck with everything!
Emma
Q
Can I freeze sperm and then use it to artificially inseminate
myself?
A Unfortunately, no.
When reproductive specialists freeze sperm, they do so
at a temperature of almost -200 degrees C. (-328 degrees
F.) The temperature of a typical home freezer is -4 degrees
C. (25 degrees F.)
Sperm are also made up of a lot of fluid.
Imagine leaving a bottle of water in a glass container
in the freezer? The bottle will explode in just a few
hours because the water turns to ice and expands.
The same thing would happen to sperm if frozen.
Q
Why do successful, single men donate sperm?
Click
here for suggested useful answers and comments
Q. Can I request shipping from Canadian sperm
banks to the UK?
See the shipping and costs page- this outlines buying
sperm from a US sperm banks and shipping it (Frozen) to
your home or doctor. There are several Canadina sperm
banks eg
xytex.com has a Candian office, and most seem to ship
overseas but to your doctor, and not your home.
Anyone got any info relating to this topic? Please
email
us
Q.
What is the difference between “washed” and
“unwashed” samples? Are some cleaner than
others?
A.
The terms “washed” and “unwashed”
can be confusing, however, these terms have nothing to
do with the cleanliness of the semen. Washed units must
be used if the patient is undergoing Intrauterine Insemination.
(The woman usually is stimulated with medication to stimulate
multiple egg development and the insemination is timed
to coincide with ovulation)
Before cryopreservation, the sperm are separated from
the seminal fluid and the fluid is replaced with a preservative
fluid. It is critical that washed units are used in IUI
as unwashed units injected into the uterus can cause violent
cramping which, in addition to being extremely painful,
will most likely result in the loss of all sperm injected.
Both washed and unwashed samples can be used for ICI or
Intracervical Inseminations. (for
example at home, using syringe)
Q
Are there any statistics relating to pregancy
- ie at home or using doctor?
From
NY Cryobank
Success
Statistics
Of
the last 200 plus pregnancies reported to us, the following
statistics were determined. These statistics do not include
those patients that did not achieve or did not report
a pregnancy.
Age
of females reporting pregnancies: Range: 24-44 (twenty
three above the age of 35, including eight above 40) Average
of 33.6 years old. Pregnancies achieved through insemination
at, Home AI 63%, Doctors' office 37%. Most clients used
the syringe/catheter for the insemination and timed their
inseminations at 12 and 36 hours past LH surge detection.
Number of vials of sperm used / cycle Range 1 to 6 vials
Average 1.9 vials. Number of cycles of AI to achieve pregnancy:
Range 1- 8 cycles Average 2.1 cycles
Tell
me about ordering sperm and shipping from a registered
sperm bank
. As a guide, the N W Andrology & Cryobank Inc charge
around US$149 per vial.
Most women will use two or more per ovulation to increase
the change of pregnancy.
To predict ovulation please visit your chemist and buy
an ovulation kit.
Shipping usually takes around 3 - 5 days, and you will
want the shipment to arrive 2 - 3 days in advance of
your expected ovulation date.
Pregnancy rate is dependent on your age and fertility.
There are no guarantees.
Shipment costs vary - around US$169 - US$259
So an idea of cost per 'attempt' (per cycle) if you
are outside of the US would be around US$500 - for 2
vials plus, say, US$200 for shipping. Approx £300
It may be advisable to buy additional specimins at the
same time, and store at a local sperm bank if possible,
so you may use the following month.
The shipping is done with a dry nitrogen dewar. It is
a small tank that weighs about 25lbs in the protective
shipping box.
You are usually allowed around 7 days use of this, and
must return it - paying for return shipping yourself
- after which you are charged by the day.
When you wish to order sperm for shipping you must check
with your authorites that sperm may be imported and
if there are any restrictions or charges.
Although the following may not be correct, we believe
that it is easy to ship sperm from the US to the UK,
Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Mexico and Canada
France has regulations as to who may import sperm.
Spain has regulations.
Australia has different regulations depending on territory.
Call your health authority.
Ovulation-Calculator's
Top 10 Signs You May Be Pregnant
We've
all heard stories from women who "just knew"
they were pregnant from the moment of conception. The
rest of us, however, are left to rely on other - less
intuitive - means of determining if there's a baby on
the way.
Here's
our list of the Top Ten Signs you may be pregnant (but
if you want to cut to the chase and find out for sure,
home pregnancy tests can help you confirm your suspicions).
Please keep in mind that, while the signs described
here are quite common in early pregnancy, you may not
experience all - or even any - of these symptoms. See
also > Pregnancy Symptoms 101: Symptoms by Trimester
1.
Missed Your Period?
This is the classic sign of pregnancy - especially if,
like many women, your cycles are typically like clockwork.
If you've missed your period, it's probably time to
take a home pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests work
by determining the amount of hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)
present in your urine. Remember - your first urine of
the day tends to have the most concentrated amount of
hCG. Early morning urine will give you your best chance
at detecting the small concentrations of hCG that are
present in the early days of pregnancy.
2.
Feeling Sick in the Morning - Or Any Other Time?
About one-half of all pregnant women experience some
form of morning sickness (nausea, vomiting, etc.) in
early pregnancy. Contrary to popular belief, "morning"
sickness isn't always limited to morning; many women
experience nausea in the evening, in the afternoon -
and a substantial percentage of lucky ladies feel sick
all day. (Note: Although rare, morning sickness can
be extreme in some cases. Contact your doctor if are
becoming dehydrated as a result of morning sickness.)
3.
Are Your Breasts Sore?
Are your breasts or nipples feeling a bit sensitive
- perhaps in the same way they feel right before you
have your period? This is one more sign that you may
be pregnant. Breast sensitivity is a common phenomenon
in early pregnancy - and thankfully, one that begins
to fade by the second trimester. But if you're one of
those "glass is half full" types, look at
it this way: for many women, sensitive breasts translate
into heightened pleasure during intimate moments…
4.
Checked Your Areola Lately?
Along with more sensitive breasts, you may notice a
slight darkening of the areola, the concentric zone
which surrounds the nipple. (Some say this darkening
serves a purpose; it makes it easier for your baby to
find his/her food source!)
5.
Honorable Discharge?
In the early days of pregnancy, mucous begins to accumulate
around the opening of the cervix to form the mucous
plug, a barrier that helps protect the baby during its
development. As a result of this mucous formation, you
may notice a bit of vaginal discharge. (Discharge as
a sign of pregnancy should not be accompanied by other
distinguishing features of an infection, such as a burning
sensation, foul smell, or itchiness.)
6.
Gotta Pee?
Although pregnancy is indeed miraculous, it does not
involve a suspension of the laws of physics. That means
that as the baby grows larger in your uterus, the space
that once allowed for expansion of your bladder is decreased.
The result? You feel like you need to pee more often.
Also, you may notice bloating similar to what you experience
prior to your period.
7.
Not Tonight, Honey. I've Got a Headache...
As a result of the complex mixture of hormones coursing
through a pregnant woman's body, it's not uncommon for
women to experience headaches more frequently during
pregnancy.
8.
Seeing Spots?
Around the time when implantation occurs (the moment
when the embryo attaches to the lining of the uterine
wall), it's not uncommon to notice a bit of spotting.
You would look for this sign at around eight to ten
days after you last ovulated. (You can use the ovulation
calculator located on our home page to calculate your
ovulation date.) Spotting as a result of implantation
usually looks a bit different than your regular period;
it tends to be light in volume and pinkish in color,
as opposed to the deep red color associated with regular
menstrual bleeding.
9.
Temperature Climbing?
A raised basal body temperature past the time when your
period is due is another possible indicator of pregnancy.
10.
All Stopped Up?
Another sign of pregnancy is constipation. This is caused
by certain hormones which are present in early pregnancy
relaxing your intestines and slowing the digestive process.
These
signs are ones often experienced in early pregnancy
- but that's not to say there aren't others. Many women
have reported experiencing other "tell-tale"
signs such as:
an
enhanced sense of smell
fatigue
hunger
weepiness
heartburn
complexion problems ("breaking out")
Once you suspect you are pregnant, home pregnancy tests
can confirm you suspicions. For FDA Approved pregnancy
tests that allow you to begin detecting pregnancy at
around 7-10 days past ovulation, please click here.
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