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TIMING OF ICI???

happylanehappylane Junior Member Junior Member
Hi Everyone,

I have a question about when you should do an ICI insemination after you get a positive OPK. I am doing unmedicated, natural cycles and we're doing it at-home.

I have done this twice before (IUI's) but this is the first ICI so I am a little nervous because I don't know how the timing should go. The sperm has so much farther to travel. There is also so many different options out there as to how long frozen sperm will live. What have you been told?

Whether you did your insemination at-home or in your doctors office (timing is the same regardless) I would love to know how you timed your ICI insemination and how many you did so I can try and figure out when we should do ours. Looking forward to lots of advice!

THANKS!!!

Comments

  • Mikko77Mikko77 Member
    Our doctor gave us advice on the best process for us.. and we selected IUI.. however, ICI should be timed using some type of ovulation kit (as with a IUI). Clear Blue Easy is one of the best very simple to use. Once your LH surge is dictated you should do the ICI the very next day. Good luck!!
  • happylanehappylane Junior Member Junior Member
    Thanks for the info. Everyone has their own opinion about doing it 12,18,or 24 hours later. It can get intimidating trying to get the timing just right. I don't want to miss it and we'd really like to try again for another boy! :)
  • amber80amber80 Junior Member
    I have the same question. This will be my third cycle using ICI at home. I read recently that thawed sperm only lives 12 to 24 hours once inside the body, so this time I think I'm going to try closer to ovulation. I have been doing it about 12 to 24 hours after getting my first positive LH surge. I thought I was possibly missing the window but now I think maybe I'm doing it too early. Who knows?? I wish there was an exact science to this.
  • happylanehappylane Junior Member Junior Member
    Hi Amber,
    When we did our first two IUI's we did them about 9-12 hours past my OPK+ but I was only testing once a day so I don't know exactly when I surged. This is the first time we're doing ICI (all that was available in our donor) and I am completely thrown for a loop. Question, and you obviously don't have to answer it but I'm so confused about how to do the actual insemination. There are so many people on here that warn against putting the catheter inside the cervix at all and then I read that if you're not going into the cervix at all - all you're doing is an intravaginal insemination. I'm only talking about the slightest bit of an entry not going all the way thru (doing an IUI.) How did you do your last two cycles? What cycle day are you on? CD#1 should start tomorrow so I'm trying to get all the kinks worked out now :)
  • amber80amber80 Junior Member
    Hey Happylane, I have no problem answering your questions. I'm still trying to figure the best way to do this too so its good to compare notes. Your goal with ICI is to get it right up against the cervix, not actually inside since it is unwashed. If you do get some into the uterus it can cause cramping and in some people the cramping can be really bad, just depends on how your body reacts. I don't know how long of a catheter you have. From what I've read in various articles on the web for AI, the average penis is 4 inches so you want to get in atleast that much. What we did is I elevated my hips on some pillows, and my parnter used her finger to find how deep my cervix was. Since we had about a three inch catheter she guided it in with her finger toward the cervix. Then she pulled her finger out and pushed the syringe in a bit further. So basically if you can find the depth of your cervix with your finger then you can judge about how deep you need to go in. I am CD12 today. So I should be getting that Smiley face on my OPK soon. I usually get positive LH surge for about two days so this time I'm planning on doing serveral tests a day once I get my positive to try to get as close to ovulation as possible. I'm guessing sunday will be the day to try to inseminate but we will see.
  • happylanehappylane Junior Member Junior Member
    Hi Amber,
    This is what we did....we have a GREAT doctor who practices like a midwife....very laid back and was very receptive to our request of doing the procedures at home. We wanted to do IUI so we got some great training....She provided us with a speculum to use so the OS of the cervix could be seen since we would be going thru with a catheter. We're going to be using one again this go 'round to get as close (on top of) the OS as possible. I would think that a speculum would be a great thing for you too! You can get a cheap plastic one and it works just the same! It's funny because we did the more complicated procedure and I am more nervous about the ICI! I have no history with ICI....I am left wondering if it will be more difficult to conceive than it was the IUI? I have a great success rate with those! Question: Have you used Pre-Seed? I am wondering how good it is or if I just should let mother nature do her thing.

    I am on CD 4....so I have a bit to go yet. Hope you get your positive!!! You'll have to let me know!
  • amber80amber80 Junior Member
    Thanks for the info! I was thinking about using a speculum, so thanks for the input. I don't think I'll be able to get one in time for this try, but if it doesn't work this time I will get one for the next cycle. I am also trying preseed for the first time with this cycle so we will see. I will let you know how it goes. As far as ICI vs IUI, I think IUI has a very slight percentage advantage to ICI since the sperm doesn't have to travel as far. Hopefully you will have a good sucess rate with the ICI as well. Only time will tell. I wish you luck and I will keep you posted. Its looking like Sunday will be the day, I'm starting to get some good signs that ovulation is on its way!! Please keep me posted on your status as well.
  • happylanehappylane Junior Member Junior Member
    Hi Amber!
    Just checking in to see if you got that positive! I'm on the two week wait myself and if it weren't for Christmas keeping me busy I'd go crazy. We should know about New Years Day! Keep me posted!
  • amber80amber80 Junior Member
    Nah...negative for me. I'll try again in a couple months...need to replenish the funds since the holidays put a big dent in them. Any luck with your positive??
  • Mikko77Mikko77 Member
    happylane wrote:
    Hi Amber!
    Just checking in to see if you got that positive! I'm on the two week wait myself and if it weren't for Christmas keeping me busy I'd go crazy. We should know about New Years Day! Keep me posted!


    Wishing you and your family well in your journey TTC. :-)
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