Can IUI be done at home?
An IUI shouldn’t be done at home without medical supervision because the sperm needs to be washed to prevent infection — i.e., separated from the semen. A vaginal insemination can be done at home, but is no more successful than intercourse. Some doctors are willing to instruct on doing ICI (intracervical insemination) at home, but it should not be attempted without being taught proper technique. Getting semen or air into the uterus could be quite dangerous — perhaps life-threatening. One woman wrote in to say there is a midwife practice in Berkeley, CA, that will do inseminations at the patient’s home, so it may be worth asking about.
An IUI shouldn’t be done at home because the sperm needs to be washed to prevent infection — i.e., separated from the semen. A vaginal insemination can be done at home, but is no more successful than intercourse. Some doctors are willing to instruct on doing ICI (intracervical insemination) at home, but it should not be attempted without being taught proper technique. Getting semen or air into the uterus could be quite dangerous — perhaps life-threatening.
