Insemination

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 21, 2024.

• Care notes
• Discharge
• Inpatient

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Artificial insemination is a procedure used to treat infertility (trouble getting pregnant). Natural insemination occurs when a man's sperm enter a woman's body when she is ovulating. When a woman ovulates, one or more eggs are released by her ovaries. The sperm travel up the woman's vagina to fertilize (join) an egg. When this happens, a woman may get pregnant. With artificial insemination, caregivers put sperm into a woman's vagina near the cervix, or directly into the uterus (womb). The cervix is the bottom part of a woman's uterus. Sperm may come from a male partner, a sperm bank, or be donated by someone else.
• A woman may want insemination if she has been unable to get pregnant. Insemination also can be used by women who want to give birth to a child, but do not have a male partner. A couple may use donated sperm if the man's sperm may cause a disease in their baby, such as Tay-Sachs disease. Damage or diseases in a woman or man's reproductive system (the organs that help create and grow an unborn baby) may cause infertility. A woman may be infertile if her ovaries do not release an egg each month. A man may not have enough sperm in his semen (the fluid that contains sperm). The sperm may be too slow, not be the right shape, or it may die before it enters the uterus. After insemination, a woman may get pregnant.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take your medicine as directed:

Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

• Your caregiver may test your blood or urine, or do a vaginal ultrasound, to check if you are pregnant. If you do not get pregnant after having insemination, your caregiver may talk to you about trying again.

If you become pregnant:

If you learn that you are pregnant, you may need to change your diet and activities. Ask your caregiver for more information about ways to have a healthy pregnancy.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You cannot make it to an appointment.
• You are gaining weight but do not know why.
• You have a fever (high body temperature).
• You have chest pain or trouble breathing that is getting worse over time.
• You have discharge (fluid) coming out of your vagina that has a bad smell.
• You feel sick to your stomach or you are throwing up.
• You have pain in your abdomen that does not go away.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• You have bleeding from your vagina that is not from your monthly period.
• Your arm or leg feels warm, tender, and painful. It may look swollen and red.
• You have new and sudden chest pain. You may have more pain when you take deep breaths or cough. You may cough up blood.
• You have sudden and severe (very bad) pain in your abdomen.
• You suddenly feel lightheaded and have trouble breathing.
• You begin to urinate less than usual, less often than usual, or not at all.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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