Insemination

Insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female animal or plant for the purpose of impregnating or fertilizing the female for sexual reproduction. The sperm is introduced into the uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous (egg-laying) animal.

In mammals, insemination normally occurs during sexual intercourse when the male ejaculates into the female's reproductive tract, but insemination can take place in other ways, such as artificial insemination. Each form of insemination has legal, moral and interpersonal implications. Whether insemination takes place naturally or by artificial means, however, the pregnancy and the progress of it will be the same.

Insemination may be called in vivo fertilisation (from in vivo meaning "within the living") because an egg is fertilized inside the body, and is thus essentially the opposite of in vitro fertilisation.

In plants, the process of insemination is referred to as pollination.

Natural insemination

Insemination by sexual intercourse is technically referred to as "natural insemination" (NI) i.e. insemination by natural means. In humans, insemination or impregnation of a female is most commonly performed by sexual intercourse with a male. Natural insemination can be performed by the female's normal sexual partner or by a sperm donor ejaculating within a fertile female's reproductive tract during sexual intercourse.