Another option for insemination is donor insemination. Donor insemination is used when your partner is unable to provide an adequate sperm sample. The insemination is done the same way as a regular procedure, except using donor sperm that has been frozen, instead of your partner's sperm.

Donor sperm is also used if you do not have a male partner available to donate sperm. However, not all fertility clinics will do inseminations on unmarried women or women in lesbian relationships. Be sure to check with your fertility clinic before proceeding if this is your situation.

As with egg donors, you may choose to use either known or unknown sperm donors for your insemination. If you use an unknown donor, you will choose him based on several characteristics, including physical characteristics, educational background, ethnicity, and cultural backgrounds. There are many sperm banks in the country. Which one your fertility center uses may influence what information you receive about your donor.

Typically donors are bright, young, college men who are paid to donate their sperm. Some high-tech centers include biographical sheets on the donors. Some centers even have photographs. Many times the sperm bank used is not local to your area.

Known-donor sperm can be from a male family member of your partner or a family friend. The process for doing known-donor sperm usually involves a brief visit to the fertility clinic for a semen analysis and some blood work. Generally, that is all that is required, although some centers do require psychiatric evaluations to ensure emotional issues are resolved prior to using known-donor sperm. Be sure to ask about the policy at your fertility clinic.

Insemination in any form is a great form of treatment. It is one of the few treatments that really span the gamut from low technology to high technology, given that it can incorporate so many adjunct therapies.