Understanding the Difference: ICI, IUI, and IVF with Donor Sperm

When you’re building your family with donor sperm, the journey can feel overwhelming. In addition to being on a path to parenthood, one often needs to learn new language and acronyms to help guide one's journey. 

IUI, ICI, and IVF are all options for you who want to become pregnant with donor sperm without having intercourse. Which option is right for you is deeply personal, depending on your timeline, overall fertility and health, and budget. Not all options are equally accessible or relevant to all people, and if you are unsure which path to choose, we recommend that you consult a medical professional. 

In this article, we give an overview of the different insemination options that are relevant for you, if you are aiming for a pregnancy using donor sperm, starting from least to most complex. 

What is ICI? (Intracervical Insemination)

ICI is a fertility treatment that places donor sperm in the vagina near the cervix using a syringe or an insemination kit during ovulation. From there, the sperm travels naturally through the uterus to meet and hopefully fertilise the egg naturally. 

ICI can be done with sperm from a sperm bank or a known donor at a clinic, assisted by a healthcare professional. Alternatively, you or your partner can do the insemination yourself in the comfort of your home. On Y factor, we refer to this as “home insemination (DIY)”. This is common practice when choosing a known donor or a private donor outside of clinics and sperm banks. In Europe, home insemination can only be done using fresh semen from private donors, while in the US, you can have frozen sperm from the sperm bank shipped to your home address.

Who chooses ICI?

You can choose ICI if you are a healthy couple or individual with good fertility who does not need additional fertility treatments to get pregnant. This method is typically chosen by people who prefer a less medicalised approach at the clinic, who want to inseminate privately at home, or who want to use a “fresh sperm sample” from a private donor.

What to know:

• The success rates per cycle are lower compared to IUI or IVF.

• ICI is a less invasive procedure and can be done at home, depending on your local regulations and if you choose a sperm bank or a private donor.

• Timing is critical; tracking ovulation accurately is needed to maximise success. Ovulation tests/ LH tests can be used to optimise timing.

• ICI is not recommended if you have struggled to get pregnant for a long period of time or if fertility challenges are known.

What is IUI? (Intrauterine Insemination)

IUI involves placing washed donor sperm directly into the uterus during ovulation. Before insemination, the sperm sample is prepared (washed) in a laboratory and then placed directly in the uterus using a thin catheter, making it easier for motile sperm to reach the egg. 

IUI is a fertility treatment that is only performed by a medical professional. If you are considering IUI, please reach out to a fertility clinic in your area for more information. 

Who chooses IUI?

IUI might be the right option for you if you have not been able to get pregnant with ICI or intercourse. IUI carries higher success rates than ICI, but is only accessible to individuals and couples who can get medical assistance from fertility clinics on their journey to get pregnant.

What to know:

• IUI is more expensive than ICI due to more advanced preparation of the sperm and a higher level of medical assistance.

• Success rates per cycle are higher than ICI and lower than IVF, but vary based on age and health factors.

• IUI can only be performed by medical professionals at a fertility clinic. 

• Depending on the circumstances, doctors might recommend taking medication to stimulate your cycle.

What is IVF? (In Vitro Fertilisation)

IVF is a more extensive fertility treatment, which starts with a woman taking stimulating fertility medication to mature several eggs in one cycle. The eggs are collected and then fertilised with donor sperm in a laboratory and cultured over several days. The healthiest embryo is then selected and transferred into the woman’s uterus, hoping for a successful implantation and pregnancy. 

IVF is a fertility treatment that is only performed by a medical professional. If you are considering IVF, please reach out to a fertility clinic in your area for more information. 

Who chooses IVF?

IVF is often chosen when other methods of getting pregnant haven’t worked out, when using an egg donor, or for other specific medical, genetic, or family-building reasons. For lesbian couples, choosing the route of IVF also opens up the option of reciprocal IVF (ROPA), where one partner provides the egg and the other partner carries out the pregnancy.

What to know:

• IVF offers the highest success rates per cycle.

• It’s the most expensive and invasive option, with medication, retrieval, and lab fees.

Insemination Options with a Known or Private Donor 

If you want a closer relationship with your donor, the option for future contact with your child, or simply wish to meet the person behind the donation, a known donation may be right for you. On Y factor, you can search for known or private sperm donors who share your insemination preferences. In your profile, select your preferred method of insemination, and we’ll match you with donors who share those preferences.

• For ICI/Self-insemination, select “Home Insemination.”

• For IUI or IVF with a known donor, select “Via Clinic.”

If you plan to undergo insemination at a clinic, please contact your fertility clinic for guidance on using a known donor.