Insemination is a method where specially prepared sperm is injected into the uterus at the appropriate time selected according to the ovulation period. It shortens the path that sperm needs to travel to reach the egg through natural means (by directly injecting it into the uterus) and also increases the likelihood of fertilization by determining the ovulation period that may not coincide with sexual intercourse.

If the woman does not have any problems with egg development and ovulation, no medication may be used (natural cycle) or egg development can be stimulated by drugs taken orally or by injection (ovarian stimulation). After following the development of the follicles (small fluid-filled sacs that contain the egg cell) in the ovaries with ultrasound at regular intervals, medication is usually administered to trigger ovulation, and about 36 hours later, insemination is performed (the sperm is injected into the uterus with a catheter). A pregnancy test is conducted 12 days after the procedure. It is a painless and easy procedure.

Pregnancy rates after insemination are between 10-20%. The success rate varies according to the woman’s age, ovarian reserve, infertility duration, and sperm count. While repeating the treatment 2 or 3 times may increase the success rate, performing more than three attempts does not significantly increase the success rate. Therefore, a more effective method such as IVF may be preferred. If more than three large follicles develop during ovarian stimulation it is appropriate to cancel the insemination procedure due to the risk of multiple pregnancies.