Donor Sperm / Therapeutic Donor Insemination
Raleigh and Durham, NC Donor Sperm / Therapeutic Donor Artificial Insemination
We realize that most of you have already invested a large amount of time and thought into your decision to consider therapeutic donor insemination (TDI). We also understand that this has probably been a stressful decision.
We welcome you to our program and we look forward to working with you in our Durham and Raleigh, NC infertility clinics. We encourage you to ask questions about your care. Both your reproductive endocrinologist, and clinic nurses are good resources.
Your First Appointment at One of Our Durham or Raleigh, NC Fertility Centers
Your reproductive endocrinologist will ultimately be in charge of your care, but one of our nurses will be arranging and performing the actual artificial insemination.
Forward to us any medical records pertaining to your previous infertility care or bring them with you at the initial appointment.
During the appointment your reproductive endocrinologist will take a family and medical history and do a physical examination, including a pelvic examination. This will help your doctor consider the possibility of any female factors that would hinder the chances of success.
The reproductive endocrinologist may order laboratory tests to help in diagnosis, if necessary, and will also include several blood screening tests that have been recommended by the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology.
During this appointment you will meet with one of the clinic nurses. The nurse will explain our program to you and answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to express your concerns.
Since consent forms must be signed by both husband and wife, we request that your husband come with you for this visit. He is certainly welcome at all insemination appointments as well.
Choosing a Donor Profile and Bank
Soon after we have obtained the results of your screening tests and physical characteristics and blood types for both you and your husband, we will help you identify the best possible donor or donors available from our participating banks.
Duke has approved Cryogenics Laboratories sperm bank for our patients’ use. We will have information available to you in the clinic about this sperm bank.
We will ask you to contact the bank of your chosen donor and arrange to have the specimens sent to our laboratory for storage until you are ready for an insemination. There will be a clinic charge for the insemination procedure at each insemination visit and an annual storage fee for the sperm samples.
Since shipping is costly, we recommend that more than one sample is shipped at a time.
We recommend that you contact our financial representative at 919-572-HOPE (4673) with any financial questions. She will be able to help determine your individual insurance coverage and the expenses for which you will be personally responsible.
Preparing for Insemination
It is important to establish your particular ovulatory pattern before proceeding with the actual inseminations.
If you have irregular menstrual cycles, we may ask that you take your basal body temperature and use an ovulation predictor test for one or two cycles to determine your ovulatory pattern. We will give you instructions for taking a basal body temperature at the clinic.
Instructions for the predictor tests will vary by manufacturer and will be included in each kit. Questions can be addressed to the clinic nurse. There are several on the market, and we will do our best to keep you informed as to their availability, cost, and correct use.
Remember that these tests are predictors of impending ovulation and your insemination may be done the same day or day after the test is positive, depending on the results of your test cycle.
Patients should call the clinic at 919-572-HOPE (4673) at the onset of menses to plan an insemination for that cycle. One of the ovulation predictor tests should be purchased and the directions followed for that particular test.
Urine testing should be done in the morning to allow time to call that day to set up an appointment for the same or next day.
Inseminations are done Monday through Friday. We may be able to provide this service on weekends depending upon staffing.
Please call our office and notify the triage nurse before noon on Friday if you believe that you might have your luteinizing hormone (LH) surge over the weekend. The nurse will be able to notify you if staffing will be available that weekend for a possible insemination.
Since there is no one in our office Saturday or Sunday, positive test results may be called in Monday morning and the appropriateness of an appointment can be discussed with one of the clinic nurses.
Insemination
Frozen semen will always be used because it allows optimal screening of each donor prior to the use of the semen. Detailed advantages and disadvantages of frozen semen will be explained to you at the initial visit.
The insemination can be accomplished quickly with very little discomfort, similar to a Pap smear. The insemination will be one of two techniques — a cervical cup or an intrauterine insemination. Occasionally cycles will be delayed because of semen sample availability.
What Next?
We request that patients call the clinic with the onset of menses following an insemination if pregnancy does not occur. This will help determine whether the timing of the insemination was correct and if changes should be made in future cycles. Pregnancy tests are not recommended until 18 days after the insemination if no period has ensued.
Insemination cycles do not have to be consecutive. The program does need a commitment from you, and we ask your cooperation with the requests stated earlier.
We advise patients to keep their daily routine as normal as possible and not allow their infertility to compromise the other meaningful aspects of their lives. We will do our best to minimize your inconvenience and frustration.
Helping patients from Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, South Boston, VA, Danville, VA and nationwide realize their dream of having a family.
