Although researchers may someday devise a way for women to get pregnant without requiring sperm, currently the only way to conceive a pregnancy is for a sperm to fertilize an egg--meaning you do need some sort of male involvement to get pregnant. However, that doesn't mean you need to have sexual intercourse with a man if you are single or in a same-sex partnership and desire a pregnancy.
Instructions
Using Physician Assistance to Get Pregnant
1. Visit your doctor to discuss your desire to get pregnant without a man. Your physician can check for any health problems that may affect your future pregnancy and give you more information on your options for pursuing a pregnancy.
2. Locate a sperm donor. You may have a male friend who has agreed to contribute sperm for your pregnancy, but if not, you can contact a sperm bank to locate a suitable donor. Your physician should be able to refer you to information about sperm banks.
3. Coordinate a time for the insemination with your physician. The insemination must happen at the time of the month when you will be ovulating, which is usually about 2 weeks before you expect your menstrual period. Your physician may instruct you to use ovulation predictor strips to pinpoint the right time for the insemination to boost the odds of conception.
4. Make arrangements with the sperm bank to ensure that the sperm is on hand at the time that you will need it for your insemination. If you are using a friend as a donor, that person must ejaculate into a sterile collection cup. The sperm should be as fresh as possible before the procedure.
5. Bring the sperm to your physician on the day of your insemination, or go to your appointment on the day that you have scheduled your insemination with the sperm bank donor sperm. Follow your doctor's instructions for proceed.
6. Wait about 2 weeks and take a pregnancy test around the time that you would expect your menstrual period.
Inseminating Yourself at Home
7. Visit a physician for a preconception workup. Even if you plan to inseminate yourself at home, it is a good idea to get a preconception workup to detect any health problems that could affect your pregnancy and also to establish a relationship with a doctor that you feel comfortable with for your prenatal care.
8. Find a sperm donor, such as a close male friend who has agreed to supply you with sperm. You may also be able to use a sperm bank if the facility is willing to give the sperm specimen directly to you rather than requiring a physician's involvement.
9. Decide upon a method for tracking your ovulation patterns. You need to predict your ovulation date in advance to boost the odds that your insemination will result in a pregnancy, because the sperm should be delivered as close to your ovulation date as possible. Ovulation predictor test strips are a good choice for determining the date of ovulation.
10. Obtain the sperm specimen from your friend or from the sperm bank as close as possible to the date of your ovulation. Your friend must ejaculate into a clean plastic cup or bag. If you are using a sperm bank, follow the instructions for thawing the specimen.
11. Gather the sperm into a turkey baster or medicine syringe, sterilizing the instrument before collecting the sperm.
12. Lie flat on your back and insert the baster or syringe into your vagina, ejecting the sperm as close as possible to your cervix. Elevate your hips on a pillow and stay lying down for about 20 minutes.
13. Take a pregnancy test around the time that you expect your menstrual period.
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