You can get artificial insemination at fertility clinics, OB-GYN offices, and reproductive endocrinology centers. Some people also do it at home using intravaginal insemination kits. The right option depends on your budget, whether you’re using a partner’s sperm or donor sperm, and how much medical support you want during the process.
Fertility Clinics
Dedicated fertility clinics are the most common place to get intrauterine insemination (IUI), the clinical form of artificial insemination. During IUI, a doctor places washed and concentrated sperm directly into the uterus through a thin catheter, timed to ovulation. The procedure itself takes only a few minutes.
These clinics are staffed by reproductive endocrinologists, doctors who specialize exclusively in fertility. They handle everything from initial testing through the insemination cycle, including hormone monitoring, ultrasound tracking, and sperm preparation. If you need ovulation-stimulating medication or have underlying fertility issues like irregular cycles or endometriosis, a fertility clinic is typically the best fit. Academic medical centers like UCSF Health and Columbia University Fertility Center offer IUI alongside more advanced treatments like IVF, so if insemination doesn’t work, you already have a team in place to discuss next steps.
OB-GYN Offices
Many general OB-GYNs perform IUI, and this can be a more accessible starting point. If your OB-GYN already knows your medical history, you may be able to skip the referral process and get started faster. OB-GYNs typically handle straightforward cases: you have regular cycles, open fallopian tubes, and adequate sperm quality from a partner or donor.
The tradeoff is that OB-GYNs don’t have the same specialized monitoring equipment or lab capabilities as fertility clinics. If you need medicated cycles with close follicle tracking, or if a few rounds of IUI don’t result in pregnancy, your OB-GYN will likely refer you to a reproductive endocrinologist. Once you do get pregnant through a fertility specialist, you’ll transition back to your OB-GYN around 8 to 10 weeks for standard prenatal care.
At-Home Insemination
Home insemination is an option for people who want more privacy, lower cost, or who don’t have easy access to a clinic. At-home kits use intravaginal insemination (IVI) or intracervical insemination (ICI), which deposits sperm near the cervix rather than inside the uterus. These kits typically include a sterile semen container, a soft catheter, and a small syringe.
The process is relatively simple. The sperm sample is collected into the sterile container, drawn into the syringe, and slowly deposited deep into the vagina while the person lies on their back with a pillow under their hips. Resting in that position for 20 to 30 minutes afterward helps prevent the sample from leaking out. Timing matters: insemination should happen during the fertile window, and ovulation prediction kits can help you identify the right days.
One study in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences found a cumulative pregnancy rate of 25% to 69% over six cycles of at-home insemination, with results varying based on the couple’s specific situation. Those numbers are encouraging, but home insemination does have limitations. Without sperm washing (the lab process that concentrates the healthiest sperm), success rates per cycle are generally lower than clinical IUI. And if you’re using frozen donor sperm, you’ll want to confirm the type you order is compatible with home use, since IUI-prepped sperm is designed for clinical placement.
Where to Get Donor Sperm
If you need donor sperm, you have two routes: a licensed sperm bank or a known donor. Sperm banks sell anonymous or semi-anonymous donor samples that have already been tested for infectious and genetic diseases, screened by the FDA, and frozen for quarantine. You browse donor profiles online, choose based on characteristics that matter to you, and have the vials shipped directly to your clinic.
Using a known donor, such as a friend or relative, is also possible but involves extra steps. The donor needs to complete the same infectious disease testing required of anonymous donors. More importantly, a legally binding agreement should be in place before any insemination happens. Without one, a known donor could potentially be declared a legal parent, which affects birth certificates, child support obligations, and custody rights. An attorney specializing in reproductive law can draft this agreement.
Testing Before You Start
Clinics require certain tests before beginning IUI. Women need a hysterosalpingogram, an X-ray that uses dye to confirm at least one fallopian tube is open. If both tubes are blocked, sperm can’t reach the egg, and IUI won’t work. Male partners providing sperm must be tested for infectious diseases. If you’re using donor sperm from a bank, you’ll need your own infectious disease panel: HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and HTLV-I.
Beyond these required tests, most clinics will also run bloodwork to assess ovarian reserve and do a baseline ultrasound to check for ovarian cysts or uterine abnormalities. These initial tests help your provider decide whether IUI is a reasonable approach or whether you’d benefit from more advanced treatment.
What It Costs
A single IUI cycle at a clinic typically costs around $735 for the procedure itself, based on pricing from the University of Utah’s fertility center. That covers sperm preparation, the insemination, and one ultrasound. It does not include medications to stimulate ovulation, additional follicle-tracking ultrasounds (around $230 each), or donor sperm if needed. A vial of donor sperm generally runs $500 to $1,100 depending on the bank and donor profile. All told, a medicated IUI cycle with donor sperm can cost $1,500 to $4,000.
Home insemination kits are significantly cheaper, usually $50 to $200 for the kit alone. If you’re using a partner’s sperm, the total cost stays very low. Donor sperm is the same price regardless of where you use it.
Insurance Coverage by State
Insurance coverage for artificial insemination varies dramatically. Several U.S. states mandate that insurers cover fertility treatment, including IUI. Connecticut requires coverage for up to three IUI cycles. Massachusetts mandates broad coverage including artificial insemination, sperm processing, and sperm banking. New Jersey and Illinois both include artificial insemination in their required fertility benefits. Delaware also mandates IUI coverage.
If you live outside a mandate state, coverage depends entirely on your specific plan. Some employer-sponsored plans voluntarily include fertility benefits, especially at larger companies. RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, maintains a state-by-state breakdown of coverage laws that’s worth checking before you assume you’ll pay out of pocket.
Success Rates by Age
IUI success rates range from about 3% to 20% per cycle, with age being the biggest factor. Data from the European Sperm Bank breaks it down clearly:
- Under 24: roughly 20% per cycle
- 25 to 29: about 13% per cycle
- 30 to 34: about 11% per cycle
- 35 to 39: about 9% per cycle
- 40 to 41: about 9% per cycle
- 42 to 43: about 6% per cycle
- Over 43: about 3.5% per cycle
These are per-cycle numbers. Most doctors recommend trying three to six cycles before considering IVF, which means cumulative odds improve significantly. A 30-year-old with an 11% chance per cycle has roughly a 30% to 50% chance of success over three to six attempts. Adding ovulation-stimulating medication can further improve those odds, though it also increases the chance of twins or higher-order multiples.