Conceiving on your own – a guide on how to enter solo motherhood
Are you considering getting pregnant without a man? At Cryos, more than half of the people we help become parents are single women. In this blog post, you can read our guide for women considering single motherhood, to ensure that you are ready to make the final decision of having a baby on your own.
Make sure you are ready
The most important thing to consider before starting your journey towards single motherhood is whether you are ready or not. Being a single parent is often stressful and exhausting. Many Single Mothers by Choice have planned for single motherhood years before they started their journey to ensure they were ready financially and had enough support around them.
Being a single parent means that you often rely more on your network of friends and family. Your network can also be an important part of deciding whether you are ready or not. Try and talk to the people around you to hear what they think and whether they are willing to support you on your journey. Many of the single mothers we have helped have highlighted the importance of their friends and family and their role in becoming a Single Mother by Choice. Once they talked to their network and learned that they had a lot of support, they felt more capable of starting their journey towards parenthood than they did before.
How to get pregnant without a man
Once you are ready to follow your dream, the next step is to decide how you want to proceed. The most common way to become a mother as a single woman is to receive help from a sperm donor. There are two types of sperm donors:
- A donor from a sperm bank: You can also look for a sperm donor in our free Donor Search. With over 1.000 available donors, you can create filters based on your preferences and hopefully find a donor you like. All donors at Cryos have undergone thorough screening processes to comply with the regulations in your country.
- Known Donor: A Known Donor is someone you know, maybe a friend that wants to help you fulfil your dream of a child. When using a Known Donor, we recommend contacting a sperm bank. By using the Known Donor services at a sperm bank, you minimize any medical and legal risks. Follow the link to read more about the advantages of using a Known Donor or contact our Customer Care Team to learn more.
Find the right fertility clinic
If you are ready to embark on the journey towards single motherhood, your next step is to find the right fertility clinic or doctor to help you proceed. Try to find a fertility clinic where you feel comfortable and well-received, as you may need to spend a lot of your time there. There are a lot of clinics offering their services, and we understand that it might seem like a bit of a jungle at first. However, we have created a guide to choosing a fertility clinic that you may find helpful. Our Customer Care Team are also happy to assist in finding the right clinic for you.
Planning your treatment
When you have found the right fertility clinic, you can start to plan your treatment. Depending on your fertility, there are a few options for you to proceed with. Usually, the first step will be intrauterine insemination (IUI) with donor sperm. A simple treatment method, where the sperm is injected into the woman’s uterus at the time of ovulation. IUI treatment takes a few minutes and is usually pain-free - but requires a little planning, and perhaps a hormone treatment, to ensure that the insemination happens at the exact time of ovulation.
If you suffer from diseases like endometriosis or PCOS, you may be required to try other options such as In vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Choosing a sperm donor
The first step in your search for a donor should be to research your country’s legislation regarding sperm donors. Some countries allow you to use both ID Release and Non-ID Release Donors, while others only allow you to use one or the other. Usually, your fertility clinic can tell you which donor type is allowed for your treatment. Otherwise, Cryos’ Customer Care Team will be happy to help you.
When you understand your country’s legislation regarding sperm donors, your search for a donor can begin. We recommend that you start with one main criterion. Many Single Mothers by Choice choose a donor with similar physical or personality traits as themselves, while others prefer a donor they would choose as a potential partner. Choosing a sperm donor is a big decision and many single women use their friends or family to help them decide on a donor.
Receiving treatment
Once you have found the right sperm donor, you need to order the donor sperm for treatment. Always talk to your clinic before placing any order, as they might have preferences regarding the time of arrival and shipping method. When the donor sperm has been ordered, your fertility clinic will talk to you about an appointment to receive the treatment. Be aware that on average, it takes around five rounds of fertility treatment before a pregnancy occurs.
How to proceed
Hopefully, by reading this blog post you feel convinced that using donor sperm to fulfil your dream of single motherhood is not a bad idea. If you want to proceed, the next step should be to find the right fertility clinic. If you have any questions regarding fertility treatment with donor sperm, feel free to contact our Customer Care Team.
Frequently asked questions about how to enter single motherhood
How to get yourself pregnant without a man?
The most common way to get yourself pregnant without a man is through fertility treatment with donor sperm. When using a sperm donor, you can either use one from a sperm bank or someone you know, who is willing to help you.
Can a woman get pregnant without a man?
Yes, single women can enter fertility treatment with donor sperm and get pregnant without a man.
Is it legal to get pregnant on your own?
Yes, in most countries it is legal for women to get pregnant on their own. If you consider choosing single motherhood, we recommend you research the legislation in your treatment country before proceeding with your journey.