Artificial Insemination Is a technique involving the artificial insertion of sperm-containing semen from a male into a female uterus to cause pregnancy. There are two methods for AI: 1) Cervical insemination - for this technique, the sperm is placed in a cap that fits over the women's cervix (opening to the womb). The sperm can be placed in this way without any special preparation. This keeps the sperm in place until the cap is removed, and avoids the natural spillage that occurs after intercourse. 2) Intrauterine insemination (IUI) - for this technique, the sperm is separated in the laboratory from the seminal fluid (white coloured liquid), and then inserted directly into the uterus, bypassing the cervix (opening to the womb). This prevents spillage and inability of the sperm to pass through the cervical mucus. When the man has a low sperm count, it allows more sperm to "get to" the egg. It does not however guarantee that the sperm fertilizes an egg.

Artificial insemination (AI) has a long history and is much less "high-tech" than some other methods of assisted conception. In AI, semen is introduced into the woman's uterus at around the time of ovulation, with the aim of getting the sperm nearer to the egg. It can help couples where the man has a low sperm count, or where the sperm are unable to get through the woman's cervical mucus. Because sperm is placed directly inside the woman, AI can help couples who are unable to have intercourse because of disability, injury, or difficulties such as premature ejaculation.

Your doctor may prescribe fertility drugs to induce ovulation. These can improve your chances of becoming pregnant, either by making a woman's cycles regular, when they are irregular, or by inducing more than one follicle to develop to increase the probability of one fertilizing. Fertility drugs can have some side effects (LINK), and they can slightly increase your chance of twins, and very rarely more. You'll start taking the drug near the beginning of your menstrual cycle to stimulate your ovaries to develop mature eggs for fertilization.

This procedure may be an effective solution for men with a low sperm count or poor sperm motility, where the sperm can't make the long journey to the egg. It's also a good treatment option for couples who have problems because the man's sperm can't get through the woman's cervical mucus, perhaps because of an immune reaction. It can only work for couples where the woman has one or both fallopian tubes open. Donor sperm can be used in cases where the man is producing no sperm at all, for single women or for same sex couples.