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Does a Turkey Baster Work to Get Pregnant?

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If you celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas with a roast turkey dinner, you may be familiar with the baster – a supersize kitchen utensil used to moisten meat while it’s cooking. But the baster has long had another association: as a tool for self-insemination. Where did the idea come from and have babies ever actually been conceived this way? Christine Ro digs into how the turkey-baster insemination myth took hold, and whether it has any grounding in reality.

It was during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. I was restless. And through a series of rabbit-hole discoveries, I became slightly obsessed with turkey basters: kitchen utensils that resemble oversized syringes but are specifically for keeping meat moist during roasting.

It started with a stranger reaching out via Facebook, to tell me that he thought we might have the same father. This discovery of a half-brother made me reflect on my general apathy about genetic origins. As the daughter of a Korean, the stepdaughter of a Native American, the stepsister of a Filipina, and the adoptive aunt of a Mexican, I’ve never put too much stock into connections based on heredity.

But for my half-brother, as for so many people around the world, this chromosomal link meant something. I wanted to better understand what I was missing, and this curiosity took me in some unexpected directions.

One of the webinars I attended during that early, shut-in, Zoom-heavy portion of the pandemic was called ‘Curious connections: the social life of egg and sperm donation’. It was part of a sociology research project at the University of Manchester.

As part of this session, Kathryn Almack, a sociologist at the University of Hertfordshire, wondered about the origins of the “turkey-baster myth”. According to this social lore, turkey basters aren’t just useful for cooking, but also for transferring sperm from a man into a woman, without any sexual contact being necessary.

“I wonder where that turkey-baster myth originates; from my research, more commonly, women using known donor sperm use a small syringe,” Almack mused. The couples she interviewed in her research “said they used syringes and laughed at the idea of turkey basters, given the small amount of sperm per donation!”

And with that, I set out to find out more about the turkey-baster myth. It’s been a nicely low-stakes, idle-curiosity background project for the last couple of years: visiting archives, reading publications by pioneers of self-insemination, and learning more about women’s experiences of managing their own fertility.

“The couples interviewed ‘said they used syringes and laughed at the idea of turkey basters, given the small amount of sperm per donation!’”

It’s become clear that a major reason the myth persists is that the “turkey-baster insemination plot” is a pop-culture trope, sometimes comic but other times violent and disturbing. In the soap ‘Jane the Virgin’ the baster is big and silly; in the horror film ‘Don’t Breathe’ it’s terrifying. In both cases the baster has a dramatic visual presence.

At the same time, one specific type of visual culture – pornography – has led to some widespread misconceptions of just how much semen is produced per ejaculation. Let’s just say that an eye dropper or teaspoon is generally big enough.

Women have often had to be resourceful and innovative when it comes to getting pregnant. And, though their use has been exaggerated, women have certainly tried using turkey basters as vehicles for sperm. “I do believe at-home inseminations happened using turkey basters or the like,” explains Lisa Jean Moore, a medical sociologist at the State University of New York. “People also have been known to put semen on diaphragms and then insert them.”

Moore herself has personal experience of self-insemination, using a syringe. “I think that, depending on where a person lives and their healthcare access, syringes for medical use can be hard to come by and people make do with at-hand technologies.”

While artificial insemination goes back centuries, the “turkey-baster era” of self-insemination dates to around the 1970s. There was plenty of personal experimentation involved, for instance within the Feminist Self-Insemination Group in London.

Feminist and lesbian groups were especially influential in spreading the message that conception didn’t have to be overly medicalised, costly or inaccessible. This was important to groups of women, including single and queer women, who were judged especially harshly by a moralistic medical establishment.

“A symbol of domesticity became a tool for taking control of one’s own reproduction, a welcome contrast to the stories of doctors inseminating women without their knowledge.”

Some editions of ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves’, a seminal book on women’s sexual health that started publication in the 1970s, helped to spread the idea that turkey basters could be a tool for reproductive agency. A symbol of domesticity became a tool for taking control of one’s own reproduction, a welcome contrast to the stories of doctors inseminating women without their knowledge or equating artificial insemination to adultery or worse. Using ordinary household implements also allowed self-inseminators to evade the scrutiny of would-be meddlers.

As one woman marvelled in the 1979 book ‘Up Against the Clock: Career Women Speak on the Choice to Have Children’: “I heard about a group of lesbian women on the West Coast who were inseminating themselves using a turkey baster. That’s right, the kind you keep in your kitchen. I know it sounds a little strange, but I thought it was a wonderful idea… So I used a turkey baster and there was nothing to it…”

At-home insemination has become much more normalised and precise since then, with a dizzying array of products and resources available for the self-inseminator. Turkey basters, meanwhile, have generally returned to their single purpose in the kitchen.

Yet “turkey baster” remains a kind of shorthand. It’s sometimes used to describe all forms of self-insemination, even hundreds of years before the turkey baster was even invented, and including the use of a syringe or cervical cap rather than a baster.

Regardless of how common it ever was, the turkey-baster myth remains a useful reference point. It’s also a reminder that family units come in all sorts of configurations. That’s helpful for people like me, who have unresolved feelings about the genetic bonds we share with people we didn’t grow up with.

Despite there being no direct connection, my research into turkey basters has strangely become a way to channel some of my questions about family. My half-brother and I now exchange halting messages a few times a year in an effort to keep some sort of tenuous connection flickering. It’s not much, but it’s a start.

Steven is a photographer at Wellcome. His photography takes inspiration from the museum’s rich and varied collections. He enjoys collaborating on creative projects and taking them to imaginative places.

The turkey baster method, also known as intravaginal insemination (IVI), is a way to try to get pregnant by inserting sperm into the vagina using a syringe or baster device This allows conception to occur without intercourse. While it may sound unconventional, it can be an effective option for some people In this article, we’ll explore what the turkey baster method is, who it may work for, what’s needed to try it, how to do it properly, and what its success rates are.

What Is the Turkey Baster Method?

The “turkey baster method” refers to using a syringe or baster to insert sperm into the vagina in hopes of achieving pregnancy It’s also called intravaginal insemination (IVI) or intracervical insemination (ICI) when the sperm is placed right at the cervical opening

The term “turkey baster” comes from the kitchen tool that’s used to baste turkeys. While actual turkey basters shouldn’t be used for insemination due to cleanliness concerns, the name stuck as a way to describe this method.

IVI mimics intercourse by placing the sperm as close to the cervix and uterus as possible. This gives the sperm a shorter distance to travel than with standard intercourse. However, a syringe allows conception without sexual contact between partners.

Who Might the Turkey Baster Method Work For?

The turkey baster method may make sense for different types of people:

  • Lesbian couples using donor sperm
  • Single women using donor sperm
  • Couples where the male partner has mobility issues or erectile dysfunction
  • Couples trying to conceive when the male partner is away
  • Couples who want to conceive without intercourse

However, there are some prerequisites. The person being inseminated must have a healthy uterus, functioning ovaries, and regular ovulation. Their fallopian tubes can’t be blocked.

It’s also vital that the sperm being used is healthy and screened for diseases. Working with a reputable sperm bank provides properly tested donor sperm.

What’s Needed for the Turkey Baster Method

A few items are required for IVI:

  • A syringe or baster without sharp edges that can comfortably fit in the vagina. The Mosie Baby kit provides an optimal syringe designed specifically for IVI.

  • A semen collection cup, preferably with a lid.

  • A sperm sample, either from a partner or donor. Freshly ejaculated sperm should be used within an hour for highest motility.

  • Optionally, an ovulation prediction kit can pinpoint the 2-3 most fertile days each cycle.

How to Do the Turkey Baster Method

Doing IVI involves just a few simple steps:

  1. Collect the semen sample in a cup.

  2. Draw the sample up into the syringe when ready to inseminate.

  3. Insert the syringe into the vagina similarly to inserting a tampon.

  4. Slowly depress the syringe’s plunger to release the semen.

  5. Remove the syringe and relax for 15-30 minutes with hips elevated.

It’s ideal to orgasm before or after insemination to help the cervix dip down and pull sperm inward.

What Are the Turkey Baster Method’s Success Rates?

Research indicates that the success rate for the turkey baster method leading to pregnancy is around 10-15% per cycle. However, after 6 cycles, the cumulative success rate goes up to around 38%.

Success depends heavily on properly timing insemination close to ovulation and using a high quality sperm sample. Following the steps correctly is also key.

While not as high as intercourse, 10-38% are still decent odds for couples or individuals who need to use IVI to conceive.

Is the Turkey Baster Method Safe?

When done properly, IVI using an appropriate syringe is generally safe, with only minor potential side effects like mild cramping afterwards. However, taking precautions is important:

  • Carefully follow the medical provider’s instructions.

  • Use sperm from a screened, disease-free source.

  • Thoroughly sterilize any reusable equipment before each use.

  • Use a comfortable, specifically designed IVI syringe without sharp edges.

  • Ensure proper hygiene of both the equipment and vaginal area.

The Bottom Line

While unconventional, the turkey baster method can be an effective way to conceive for those who need an alternative to intercourse. Success rates per cycle are around 10-15%, but with multiple tries over several months, pregnancy odds can reach up to 38%.

If IVI is a conception option you’re considering, be sure to use screened sperm, properly time insemination with ovulation, follow all medical guidelines, and use a purpose-built syringe to maximize your chances of success.

does a turkey baster work to get pregnant

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Getting pregnant on the cheap

FAQ

What is the success rate of the turkey baster method?

A syringe may work better. When I surveyed my Instagram followers who had conceived at home, only 14% of responders said they had conceived with a turkey baster, compared with 79% who used a syringe. You will need a receptacle to collect the semen.

How far does sperm have to shoot to get pregnant?

They can travel from near your vaginal entrance through the cervix and into your fallopian tubes to meet an egg. It doesn’t take much time for sperm to reach the egg — we’re talking minutes in some cases. So even if just the tip of the penis goes into your vagina, pregnancy is still possible.

What is the turkey method for fertility?

The Turkey Baster Method is a type of donor insemination, also called ICI treatment. It is possible to receive ICI treatment at a fertility clinic or as home insemination. During ICI, whether it is performed at a clinic or at home, you inject donor sperm into your vagina using a small plastic syringe.

Can you get pregnant injecting sperm syringe?

This can be done with either a plastic syringe (without the needle) or a sperm cup (a soft, flexible cup, similar to a menstrual cup), that’s placed inside the vagina to keep the sperm close to the cervix. Home insemination has an average success rate of between 10 – 15% in women aged 35 and under.

Can you get pregnant with a turkey baster?

The Turkey Baster Method is the most common way of artificial insemination to get pregnant via artificial insemination at home. More often than not you do NOT actually use a turkey baster but instead, a disposable syringe. What supplies do I need? You need the following supplies for artificial insemination at home:

When should I use turkey baster baby?

The “Turkey Baster Baby” method is best used during your fertile period, i.e., Ovulation Day plus the 4-5 days leading up to it. The success rate for the turkey baster insemination method, or ICI (intracervical insemination), is approximately 37.9% after six treatment cycles in a Netherlands-based study.

Can a doctor perform a turkey baster?

Earlier on this method could be performed at a doctor’s office. What is a turkey baster? Turkey baster refers to artificial insemination mostly done at home. It is also called the intracervical insemination (ICI) method.

Should I buy a turkey baster If I have infertility?

If you’re experiencing infertility, artificial insemination is typically a good place to start because of its low cost, reduced side effects, and lower health risks. Don’t go buy the turkey baster though; your doctor can help you find an at-home insemination kit that will come with the necessary tools, no turkey baster needed!

What is the success rate of turkey baster insemination?

The success rate for the turkey baster insemination method, or ICI (intracervical insemination), is approximately 37.9% after six treatment cycles in a Netherlands-based study. However, a successful pregnancy using this at-home insemination method depends on a number of factors, including age and sperm quality.

Is turkey baster Home insemination safe?

Turkey baster home insemination method is safe. You only need to be cautious about your personal and equipment hygiene to avoid infections. However, some women have reported mild cramping following the procedure. The lower abdominal cramps usually last for about two days afterward.

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