Frequently Asked Questions about Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a method of assisted reproduction, where a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another family.

This is possible through advancements in reproductive technology using in-vitro fertilization (IVF). People who would not otherwise be able to have children are now able to do so through surrogacy and IVF.

Surrogacy is a beautiful gift. Many of our surrogates tell us they loved being pregnant and had easy pregnancies. Or, they could not imagine their life without their children. Or, they've seen infertility within their circle of friends and want to pay it forward.

It is a selfless act that feels truly rewarding to witness someone becoming a parent.

To become a surrogate you must:

• be a parent yourself who has had an easy pregnancy and birth.
• be between the ages of 21 and 42 years.
• have a healthy BMI with regular menstrual cycles.
• not smoke or use recreational drugs.
• be willing to undergo a background check for yourself and spouse.

It is essential that you are fully committed to the surrogacy process.

A genetic or traditional surrogate is a woman who also donated her egg and therefore has a biological link to the child she is carrying for the intended parents. In a traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is inseminated (usually artificially) with the intended father’s sperm.

A gestational surrogate, which is the most common, is a woman who is not genetically connected to the child she is carrying. The egg is harvested from the intended mother or an egg donor, fertilized with the prospective father’s sperm or sperm donor, and then transferred into the surrogate through in-vitro fertilization.

Canadian Fertility Consulting only works with gestational surrogates.