Donor Insemination question, help me out ladies!

[sarahcecile]

Okay, so we've just found out the cause for our secondary infertility (in our case, 3 consecutive early miscarriages) - DH has a chromosome inversion.

So while we wait to consult with a genetic counselor I am researching Donor insemination, which he is comfortable with.

But oh my is it overwhelming!

How do you choose a cryobank?
Can you find a source for fresh sperm if you don't have a KD?
How many cycles on average does it take for conception?
Is it possible to do a cycle without any drugs/ultrasounds/monitoring? We know I ovulate on my own predictably (although late, and I have an LP defect).
How do choose someone? It seems like a crazy important decision?

I would really love to hear anyone's experience with all of this. I feel grateful to potentially have an end to our grief in sight, but this is hard too.

Thanks in advance!!!

[abeecharmer]

Sarah, I answered below:

How do you choose a cryobank?
My RE recommends California Cryobank or Fairfax Cryobank. We went with Fairfax since it is in the same time zone as we are.

Can you find a source for fresh sperm if you don't have a KD?
Nope. Sperm has to be quarantined for 6 months and the donor re-tested for infectious diseases before it is released.

How many cycles on average does it take for conception?
I think this varies widely.

Is it possible to do a cycle without any drugs/ultrasounds/monitoring? We know I ovulate on my own predictably (although late, and I have an LP defect).
Yes, with a doctor's signature, the cryobank will mail the goods to your home. We did this for three months, you just thaw the sample and insert with a syringe. Keep in mind frozen sperm lives only for about 12-24 hours (vs up to a week with fresh), so you need to pay close attention to the timing.

How do choose someone? It seems like a crazy important decision?
I think this also varies widely by couple. The banks have full medical histories, physical descriptions, pictures, etc. You've just gotta decide what characteristics are important to you.

Good luck!

~Sarah