In Canada, we are legally not allowed to pay a surrogate for the incredible gift of carrying our child. Intended Parents (IPs) do pay for all costs associated with the pregnancy including but not limited to travel, appointments, physiotherapy, psychological services, maternity clothing, pregnancy craving foods, income loss etc. Surrogates and IPs are required to have a surrogacy agreement which must cover the basics - who the parents are, what the IPs can and cannot pay for etc - as well as any additional information that is important to the surrogate and IPs.

We are connected to fertility clinics both in Vancouver as well as in Ottawa. In Vancouver, the fertility clinics require that surrogates are healthy, between the ages of 21 and 40 (some flexibility on the upper age range), and have had at least one previous pregnancy and birth that did not have any severe complications. In Ottawa, the age limit increases to 50 and they do not have the requirement of having had a past pregnancy. Intended Parents and Surrogates go through a psychological screening to ensure that everyone is emotionally prepared and supported for the journey.

• Education and planning
  • Taking the time you need to look into surrogacy and decide if it is something you want to do and discussing it with those important to you
  • email us to ask any questions you may have 
•  Meet our family
  •  Get to know one another and discuss everyone's desires and expectations (timing, involvement in medical appointments, type of delivery, etc.)
• Screening and Legal: approximately 1 month
  • Screening to ensure the prospective surrogate is healthy and psychologically ready for the experience
• Surrogacy Agreement 
  • With legal aid, a surrogacy agreement will be created between the Intended Parents and the Surrogate to ensure everything runs smoothly
• Embryo Transfer(s) 2-3 weeks
  • Establishing timelines with the IPs, surrogate, and medical staff, for pre-transfer preparation and transfer
• Pregnancy (Gestation) approximately 40 weeks 
  • Normal medical follow-up throughout the pregnancy and communication with the Intended Parents
• Delivery 
• With a normal pregnancy and delivery the Intended Parents (now Parents) are able to take the baby home and the Surrogate is able to recuperate after delivering the most wonderful gift ever.

• Gestational Surrogacy
  • Where an individual carries an embryo(s) that are genetically not hers. In our case, our embryos are made from the genetic material of A&M through IVF.
• Surrogate
  • the individual carrying the baby who is not related to the child and is not the child's parent
• Intended Parents (IPs)
  • the individual or individuals who are the parents of the child. In our case, this is A&M and our embryos were made from our egg and sperm through IVF
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
  • where the eggs and sperm are taken from two individuals and manually mixed in a lab to create embryos that can then be transferred into a uterus. In our case, our embryos are made from A's eggs and M's sperm and are currently being stored at a Fertility Clinic.
• Surrogacy Contract
  • the contract made between the IPs and Surrogate to ensure all parties are educated on what Surrogacy entails, to ensure all parties are safe, and ensure all parties feel comfortable with all elements of the surrogacy. 
• Parentage Order
  • a legal document which, in addition to the surrogacy contract declares that the IPs (in this case A&M) are the parents of the child 
• Embryo Transfer/Transfer
  • when the embryo(s) is transferred into the surrogate's uterus by a doctor at a fertility clinic
• Fertility Clinic
  • a specialized medical facility that specializes in fertility challenges and assisted reproduction