If you don't like doctors and clinics, an increasing number of women are turning to DIY home insemination to start a family.
There are dozens of reasons for wanting donor sperm. Perhaps your partner has a sperm count problem or a genetic condition he can pass on? Maybe he has had a vasectomy.
Sometimes the fertility issue isn't a medical problem. You might be single and if you haven't found Mr Right but still want a family, donor insemination may be your only chance at motherhood. It is also popular with women in same sex relationships.
The ever increasing cost of fertility centers, the clinical atmosphere and the embarrassment of baring their most intimate area to a host of consultants can be an off putting and unpleasant experience for some people and a growing number of them are choosing to have artificial insemination at home.
Options in the past have been limited. A woman could either enlist a friend to see if he would be willing to donate or risk advertising for a complete stranger, which is not only risking her personal safety, but puts her and her baby at risk from diseases.
Now, Fertility 1st in the UK, aims to provide a safe alternative for women who want a baby without making use of a clinic. Prospective mothers can join Fertility 1st online for an application fee of just £80 and a further fee of £300 to choose a donor and for the delivery of sperm and an insemination kit to your home. This is the fee for one cycle. If you fail to get pregnant the first time then you would have to pay another £300 for the next month. If you have no fertility problems, getting pregnant could happen on the first try.
You pick your donor yourself by looking at a register to match the donor's physical characteristics with yours and the donation would be arranged within your four day fertile time.
All donors are tested for the following diseases:
- Chlamydia
- Syphilis
- Treponemal Pallidum
- Gonorrhoea
- HIV
- Hepatitis B and C
For an extra fee, you can also have your donor fertility tested to ensure his sperm are good quality. This will increase your chances of getting pregnant. Fresh sperm is used and all donors would live not more than two hours from your home, to ensure the sperm are still healthy when delivered. Both parties are anonymous.
For details, please contact www.fertility1st.com
This service is only available to UK residents over the age of 21.
There is a similar service available to Canadian residents which costs $70 for the first 30 days and then $35 per month thereafter until you don't need the service anymore. It is very affordable for those on a budget but differs from conventional sperm donations, in that the donor and recipient meet each other. Contact www.sperm-donors-worldwide.com
