Donor insemination is, quite simply, the placement of a man’s sperm in a woman’s vagina. There are two types of donor insemination—donor insemination at a clinic and self-insemination. Donor insemination doesn’t work for everyone; it is more likely to work if: Both the man and the woman are fertile or have a fertility problem that can be treated. The woman is younger than 40 years old. The woman can recognise the few days in her menstrual cycle when she is most fertile. You do at least three inseminations during your fertile days. Donor insemination requires patience and may take up to two years to be successful.

Self insemination is cheap and convenient. It can be done in your own home whenever you want to do it. It requires no medical intervention, complicated equipment or special skills, and fresh sperm is more effective than frozen sperm. Unfortunately, at this time, there are no agencies that match up donors with prospective parents. As a result, finding a donor can prove complicated and, in many cases, awkward. If you have a good friend who is willing to be a donor, in this sense, the lack of donor anonymity is not an issue. But, on the other hand, even the best of relationships might sour in the long run, and you and your partner might have legal hassles with the donor in the future. Needless to say, it is important that the donor is pre-screened for sexually transmitted diseases before providing the sperm. The best advice is to have the donor tested once and then six months later after he does not expose himself to factors which would put him at risk of contracting HIV. As stated above, though, the most attractive feature of self insemination is its simplicity and the fact that it removes individuals from trying to justify their wishes to become prospective parents in the eyes of those who might not approve.