Fertility & Insemination (IUI)

Fertility & Insemination (IUI)

For so many, the journey to conception begins long before a pregnancy test. Midwifery Care can be especially supportive on this journey, with shared decision making, evidence based care, autonomy and empowerment guiding the way. We offer holistic fertility counseling and home insemination (IUI/ICI) for individuals and families seeking support with this journey. 

We center LGBTQ+ folks in their conception journey. Our care is deeply grounded in providing affirming and empowering care from a Health at Every Size (HAES) approach. We recognize the increased barriers that exist in the mainstream approach to fertility and conception for queer folks, and how these barriers can affect both the physical and emotional experience of trying to conceive. We seek to make holistic affirming fertility care accessible to our community.

What does Holistic Fertility Counseling look like?

Holistic Fertility Counseling includes:

  • Personalized, compassionate support for those exploring their fertility needs and options

  • Relationship based care

  • Suggestions and support with incorporating herbs, supplements, lifestyle and nutritional choices that can enhance fertility, all grounded in a Health at Every Size (HAES) approach

  • Individualized support with tracking your cycle and identifying optimal timing for insemination

  • Lab tests that can give us more information to work with

  • Insemination in the comfort of your own home, using previously frozen or fresh sperm

  • Shared Decision Making and informed consent as the foundation for all of the choices you make for you and your family. Your insemination process moves at the pace that you are comfortable with.

Empowered Preconception Care

At your fertility consultation we will thoroughly review your medical history, screening for the most common causes of infertility and work together to create an individualized plan to optimize your fertility through lifestyle, nutrition, supplements, herbs and bodywork. We are happy to review previous records and will order any relevant lab work. Our goal is to help you learn more about detecting and tracking fertility signs in your body to optimize intercourse or insemination timing.

Following your visit, Meshell will be available to you for three months over the phone and through email to review your cycle charting, follow up on any lab work, and check in about your personalized fertility plan.  Please see below for payment and fees.

What is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?

Intrauterine insemination is a simple process using a thin tube (sterile catheter) to place washed sperm directly in the uterus at the time of ovulation to achieve pregnancy. Timing is an important element of conception, as insemination is most effective within 12 hours of ovulation. Meshell is on call for you for each cycle, ensuring optimal timing for insemination. IUI has been shown to be twice as effective as vaginal insemination. (Carroll 2001, Cohlen 2011).

Those who choose home IUI experience all of the perks of midwifery care - relationship based care with a midwife that cares deeply about your overall well-being, care that is tailored to your unique family’s needs, and the comfort of being in your own home. An initial preconception visit is required to utilize home IUI services. Please see the Payment and Fees section below.

Who chooses Midwifery-Led Fertility Care?

Anyone! Parents who are “older,” single parents, transgender parents, queer families, non-traditional families, individuals whose needs aren’t being met by the mainstream approach to fertility and conception. Anyone and everyone in need of compassionate, respectful fertility care.

Payment & Fees

Fertility Counseling Initial Consult: $250

Includes a 1 - 1.5 hour initial consultation with chart review and two additional hours of phone/email consultation

IUI with fresh or frozen sperm: $300
Sperm Washing: $100
Second IUI in the same cycle: $150

We are dedicated to meeting people where they are at financially. If these prices are a barrier for you, we are more than happy to create a unique payment structure and price for you