ICI treatment with donor sperm
ICI treatment is an option for those who want to perform insemination with donor sperm themselves in a private and relaxed atmosphere. The insemination takes place at Cryos Clinic in private rooms. Read about the process of ICI with donor sperm at Cryos Clinic here.
For singles and couples in need of donor sperm, the simplest way to achieve pregnancy is through ICI (also called Intracervical Insemination). In ICI treatment, the insemination is performed by you or your partner and takes place in a private room at Cryos Clinic in Aarhus or Copenhagen.
What is ICI treatment?
ICI treatment, also referred to as self-insemination, allows you to perform insemination with donor sperm yourself. More specifically, the donor sperm is placed in the vagina using an insemination kit. The insemination is carried out at the time of ovulation, as this is when the chance of pregnancy is highest.
At Cryos Clinic, the donor sperm will be thawed and delivered to a private room. The healthcare professional will then leave the room to allow you or a partner to perform the insemination. Hopefully, ICI treatment feels more relaxed and intimate and allows a more emotionally connected experience compared to being a patient going through fertility treatment at a clinic or hospital. If you have any questions about the process, feel free to contact us.
How much does ICI treatment cost?
The price of one round of ICI treatment with donor sperm at Cryos Clinic starts at EUR 670 (incl. VAT). At Cryos Clinic, the donor sperm needed for the treatment is included in the specific treatment type. Therefore, the only thing you need to consider is which sperm donor you would like to use.
You can see our list of prices here.
Vitamin supplements for women in fertility treatment
In accordance with the Danish Health Authority's guidelines, we recommend that you start taking vitamin supplements when trying to conceive. A good choice could be a multivitamin tablet specifically designed for pregnant women, available in pharmacies, provided it contains the supplements mentioned below:
Folic acid
Folic acid supplementation is known to significantly reduce the risk of brain and spinal cord malformations (neural tube defects). We recommend a daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid. Start taking folic acid one month before trying to conceive and continue until three months into pregnancy. Even though folic acid is available through food - primarily in green vegetables, legumes, and fruit - the required amount is not sufficient.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supplementation is recommended for anyone planning to become pregnant. Low levels of vitamin D are particularly an issue during the winter. Vitamin D, essential for both mother and baby, is absorbed through the skin from sunlight and can also be found in the diet, primarily in oily fish. We recommend a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout your pregnancy.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for bone development and is recommended for women planning pregnancy. Calcium can be consumed through your diet, mainly through milk and dairy products. We recommend consuming half a litre of dairy product daily or a daily supplement of 500 mg of calcium before and throughout pregnancy.
Iron
Iron is important for women trying to conceive. Approximately 20% of pregnant women develop iron deficiency anaemia, which can be prevented with an appropriate iron supplement during pregnancy. From week 10 of your pregnancy, a daily iron supplement of 40-50 mg of ferrous iron is recommended. During fertility treatment, an adjustment of iron levels, possibly at a lower dose, may be necessary. To increase absorption, take the supplement between meals alongside vitamin C, like a glass of orange juice. It is also possible to find tablets containing both iron and vitamin C.
To summarise
- 400 micrograms of folic acid from pregnancy planning and the first 3 months into pregnancy.
- 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout pregnancy.
- 500 mg calcium throughout pregnancy.
- 40-50 mg ferrous iron from week 10 of your pregnancy and throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
ICI with donor sperm at Cryos Clinic – the process
ICI with donor sperm is a simple process as described below. For a detailed step-by-step guide to ICI at Cryos Clinic, please go to Patient guides.
If you are doing ICI at Cryos Clinic, you will of course also receive careful instructions from our staff before the insemination takes place. We speak English, Danish, and German.
Planning and preparing for ICI
- Fill out the contact form: The first step in planning your ICI treatment with donor sperm at Cryos Clinic is to request a free consultation with one of our healthcare professionals.
- Initial consultation: Once you have completed the contact request form, we will send you an email with a link to our Medical History Form. Before the initial consultation, a healthcare professional from Cryos Clinic will review the information from the Medical History Form, and together, we plan a personalised course of treatment that suits your needs.
- Timing the insemination with your ovulation: Timing is important in ICI, as the insemination should take place as close to the ovulation as possible, to increase your chances of success. Ovulation usually occurs 13-14 days after the first day of bleeding in your menstrual cycle. If you are unsure about the timing of your ovulation, we recommend using an ovulation test. They are available at any pharmacy or major supermarket. Once you know the expected time of your ovulation, we will schedule a date and time for your insemination.
- Order treatment with donor sperm: Before the insemination, you must find a sperm donor and order a treatment with donor sperm. Contact us by email if you have any questions on when and how to purchase your treatment.
Self-insemination (ICI) at Cryos Clinic
When you arrive at the clinic on the day of your insemination, you will be met by a healthcare professional and shown to a private room. Here you can relax and have something to drink, while the healthcare professional begins thawing the sperm straw(s). The thawing process takes about 30 minutes and is done after your arrival to ensure that we maintain the high quality of the sperm.
Once the donor sperm has been thawed and delivered to your room, the healthcare professional will leave the room to allow you or a partner to perform the insemination. If you have any questions, the healthcare professional is available.
After your insemination
After performing the insemination, you can return to your everyday life. Two weeks later, you can take a urine pregnancy test to see if the insemination was successful. If the result is positive, you must share the happy news with us, as we are required to follow up on the success of the treatment.
If you do not become pregnant, the treatment can be repeated in your next cycle. Our healthcare professionals will also be able to guide you on other treatment options if ICI is not successful after several attempts.
How to order treatment with donor sperm
Before the insemination, you must select a donor and purchase a treatment, which includes the type of donor sperm needed for your specific treatment. At Cryos, you get free access to all our donor profiles. To ensure traceability between donor and recipient, Cryos only supplies sperm to clinics such as Cryos Clinic and authorised healthcare professionals, in accordance with Danish legislation.
Follow the link to read more on how to order treatment with donor sperm.
Is ICI treatment with donor sperm the right choice for you?
ICI treatment with donor sperm is relevant for women with no known fertility issues. By filling out the Medical History Form, which includes questions regarding your general medical history, lifestyle, menstrual cycle, and previous attempts to get pregnant (if any), you provide our authorized healthcare professionals with knowledge that can help determine whether ICI is the recommended course of action for you, or if another treatment type would.
Together, we will plan a personalised course of treatment that suits your needs.
Frequently asked questions about ICI-D treatment
What are the success rates for ICI with donor sperm?
Many different studies have researched the success rates for ICI with donor sperm, and the success rate seems to be similar to those of IUI treatment. As Cryos now offers ICI-D treatment through our clinic, we are currently building our own knowledge about the effectiveness of the treatment and look forward to sharing our own results once we have sufficient data. For now, we have collected different studies about this subject on our page success rates from ICI-D treatment.
Is ICI-D treatment the same as home insemination?
No, ICI-D treatment is not the same as home insemination. ICI with donor sperm takes place at Cryos Clinic, where an authorised healthcare person is available for guidance and questions during the procedure. Home insemination is performed in your own home, without the supervision of a healthcare person.
Are there possible side effects or complications of ICI-D treatment?
Side effects are extremely rare as ICI-D treatment is equivalent to natural conception.
What if pregnancy is not achieved?
You can always book a new appointment for ICI-D treatment in the next menstrual cycle. If no pregnancy has been achieved after the agreed number of treatments, we recommend consulting a healthcare professional from Cryos Clinic to discuss the further course of treatment.
How often can treatment with ICI-D treatment be repeated?
If you do not achieve a pregnancy, we can repeat the treatment every month until it makes sense to do otherwise. For longer courses of treatment, we recommend regular discussions with a healthcare professional from Cryos Clinic about the course of treatment.