Artificial insemination (AI) was developed to assist couples with infertility problems but has also been used to enable women to conceive without the need for heterosexual intercourse or a permanent male partner. In the latter case, many single women and lesbians have successfully conceived and given birth by means of sperm provided by a donor.

For male-female couples, the procedure is useful when the female partner suffers from a sperm allergy or when the male partner suffers from poor sperm motility or a low sperm count.

Procedure information
In an intraeuterine artificial insemination procedure, the first stage is to prepare the sperm; this is done under laboratory conditions and involves washing it and then developing it into a concentrated sample with the highest possible sperm count.

The second part of the process involves the insertion of sperm into the uterus via a thin, flexible tube fed through from the vagina. The procedure is usually performed without anesthetic, takes under an hour and can be performed at local fertility clinic.

Women are generally required to take fertility drugs prior to the procedure as well as using an ovulation detection kit to establish the correct time for the procedure to be performed.

Recovery time
The artificial insemination procedure involves no incisions or surgical alterations so recovery is instantaneous. If fertilization is unsuccessful then it may be necessary to repeat the procedure between three to six times before deciding if an alternative course of treatment is necessary.