A less expensive but also the least effective form of insemination is intracervical insemination (ICI) with "raw" sperm.
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We did five ICIs [intracervical insemination] at home with his sperm, only to find out he had a very low sperm count.
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Intracervical insemination (ICI) simulates the ejaculation of semen by the penis into the vagina during intercourse. It is painless and is the simplest, easiest and most common method of artificial insemination. ICI involves the introduction of unwashed or raw semen into the vagina at the entrance to the cervix, usually by means of a needleless syringe. ICI is commonly used in the home, by self-insemination and practitioner insemination.
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Artificial insemination (AI) is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment for humans, and is common practice in animal breeding, including dairy cattle (see Frozen bovine semen) and pigs. Artificial insemination may employ assisted reproductive technology, sperm donation and animal husbandry techniques. Artificial insemination techniques available include intracervical insemination and intrauterine insemination.
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Sperm may be donated by the donor directly to the intended recipient woman or through a sperm bank or fertility clinic. Pregnancies are usually achieved by using donor sperm in assisted reproductive technology (ART) techniques which include artificial insemination (either by intracervical insemination (ICI) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) in a clinic, or intravaginal insemination at home). Less commonly, donor sperm may be used in in vitro fertilization (IVF). The primary recipients of donor sperm are single women, lesbian couples, and heterosexual couples suffering from male infertility.
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Sperm banks and clinics usually 'wash' the sperm sample to extract sperm from the rest of the material in the semen. A cryoprotectant semen extender is added if the sperm is to be placed in frozen storage. One sample can produce 1–20 vials or straws, depending on the quantity of the ejaculate and whether the sample is 'washed' or 'unwashed'. 'Unwashed' samples are used for intracervical insemination (ICI) treatments, and 'washed' samples are used in intrauterine insemination (IUI) and for in- vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures.
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With a straw or a vial volume of 0.5 milliliter, the general guideline is that, for intracervical insemination (ICI), straws or vials making a total of 20 million motile spermatozoa in total is recommended. This is equal to 8 straws or vials 0.5 ml with MOT5, or 2 straws or vials of MOT20. For intrauterine insemination (IUI), 1–2 MOT5 straws or vials is regarded sufficient. In WHO terms, it is thus recommended to use approximately 20 million grade a+b sperm in ICI, and 2 million grade a+b in IUI.
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Artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the introduction of sperm into the reproductive tract of a female by means other than sexual intercourse for the purpose of impregnating or fertilizing the female. In humans, artificial insemination may be used when a woman or her normal sex partner cannot, for any of a number of reasons, conceive by natural means. A number of artificial insemination strategies are available, including intracervical insemination (ICI) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). Compared with natural insemination, artificial insemination may be more invasive, and may require professional assistance and medical expertise, which will have a higher cost.
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The beneficiaries of artificial insemination are women who desire to give birth to their own child who may be single, women who are in a lesbian relationship or women who are in a heterosexual relationship but with a male partner who is infertile or who has a physical impairment which prevents full intercourse from taking place. Intracervical insemination (ICI) is the easiest and most common insemination technique and can be used in the home for self- insemination without medical practitioner assistance.Seattle Sperm Bank Compared with natural insemination (i.e., insemination by sexual intercourse), artificial insemination can be more expensive and more invasive, and may require professional assistance.
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The sperm is stored in small vials or straws holding between 0.4 and 1.0 ml of sperm and cryogenically preserved in liquid nitrogen tanks. It has been proposed that there should be an upper limit on how long frozen sperm can be stored; however, a baby has been conceived in the United Kingdom using sperm frozen for 21 years and andrology experts believe sperm can be frozen indefinitely. The UK government places an upper limit for storage of 55 years. Before freezing, sperm may be prepared (washed or left unwashed) so that it can be used for intracervical insemination (ICI), intrauterine insemination (IUI) or for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or assisted reproduction technologies (ART).
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Potential methods in unexplained infertility include oral ovarian stimulation agents (such as clomifene citrate, anastrozole or letrozole) as well as intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracervical insemination (ICI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). In women who have not had previous treatment, ovarian stimulation combined with IUI achieves approximately the same live birth rate as IVF. On the other hand, in women who have had previous unsuccessful treatment, IVF achieves a live birth rate approximately 2–3 times greater than ovarian stimulation combined with IUI. IUI and ICI has higher pregnancy rates when combined with ovarian stimulation in couples with unexplained infertility, for IUI being 13% unstimulated and 15% stimulated, and for ICI being 8% unstimulated and 15% stimulated.
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