No, donors can't be paid to donate in Canada. But that does not mean this isn’t a rewarding experience without any perks! At Her Helping Habit, we are looking for egg donors whose primary motivation is to help someone conceive. We understand there is a component of a financial burden to this process, and donors should never be out of pocket for helping someone have a baby. Egg donors are reimbursed for their time spent at appointments and injecting medication (lost wages), dog or childcare and phone bill as well as supplements, travel, food, etc. associated with the donation process. This amount ranges from $4,000 - $7,000.  

We are not able to give medical advice, but we have seen many donors go on to give birth to their own children after donating.

Every woman is born with about 2 million eggs; however, by the time of her first period, there are about 400,000 left. Each month, a group of eggs begin the maturation process. Normally, her body selects only one egg each cycle to ovulate, while the rest are absorbed by the body. Fertility medications "rescue" some of these excess eggs that the body would have discarded, so using IVF drugs will not deplete your egg reserves any more than usual. It is a common fertility myth that stimulation robs you of future eggs and causes early menopause; that is simply not true.  

Yes and no… but, it's likely not as bad as you’re imagining! You can ask someone to give them to you daily, but you may not always be able to count on them being around when it’s time for your injection.

If you’re really struggling with the shots and the clinic is close to you, you could go daily for a nurse to inject you; however, that can be super inconvenient as the injections are time-sensitive. You will be given detailed instructions by your clinic, and your coordinator at Her Helping Habit is always a text or phone call away, so if you need something in the middle of an injection, we can help. We are happy to set up a video call to go over all your meds before you start them too.  

Known donation ensures that everyone involved has a fulfilling, rewarding experience. With known donation, you never have to wonder about the outcome of your donation—if it worked, if the children are like you or look like you, etc. As humans, it’s natural to get curious. Donating through the Her Helping Habit program means you will get to know who you are donating to and decide what level of contact you are comfortable with. You can meet in person, talk on the phone or receive yearly updates if you want! At Her Helping Habit, we encourage donors to stay in touch with recipients. This is the chance to develop a unique lifelong connection. Not only will this satisfy your curiosity—but it also gives the child a chance to know you in whatever capacity you and their parents have agreed upon ahead of time.

This also allows you to be updated on the health status of your donor offspring in the event something hereditary comes up you should know about, and leaves the door open for you to alert the recipient or offspring to any genetic conditions that may develop on your side as well.

The matching phase is what takes the longest. Once you’re matched, the preliminary testing described above can take anywhere from three to six months, depending on how busy your matched recipient’s clinic is as well as your own schedule and availability. Once this testing is completed, you will have a legal phone meeting with a lawyer to discuss the terms of your donation and sign the contract.

Once the legalities are taken care of, you will begin the syncing phase of your donation cycle. This means the clinic will put you on oral birth control pills to sync your cycle to the recipient of your eggs. The doctor will precisely time when you stop taking these pills based on your planned donation schedule. For example, you could plan to start this process so that you have your retrieval timed for a specific holiday break if you wanted. In some cases, you will not sync using birth control but will instead wait until your period comes naturally and begin medication on day three of menstrual bleeding. This can be beneficial for a woman who experiences negative side effects from oral contraceptives, but it’s also less convenient for planning purposes.

You will need to be on fertility medication for roughly 8 to 12 days. This consists of hormone injections into your stomach once or twice a day (using a pretty small needle that’s roughly 2 centimeters or three-quarters of an inch long).

Retrieval is a 20-minute procedure that will then be followed by one to four days of recovery, depending on your body. Katelyn has donated six times and she will help guide you throughout this entire process. Egg donation is a big decision and at Her Helping Habit, we recommend that everyone do their own research and take their time before deciding to donate. 

The biggest risks donors face is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which occurs when too many eggs have been retrieved and your ovaries have a hard time releasing fluid and shrinking back to normal. Persons with OHSS often experience increased pain post-retrieval, a sense of fullness, and—in severe cases—experience shortness of breath as the buildup of fluid can lead to respiratory problems. This is 100 percent PREVENTABLE with proper monitoring. This is why it’s important to have the support that we offer at Her Helping Habit; we will safely guide you throughout your journey as an egg donor. We will prepare you ahead of time so you know which potential risk indicators to look for. We will also coach you regarding what to ask for following your monitoring appointments, and we’ll help you advocate for a safer approach or change in protocol if need be. You are never alone throughout this process with us. 

In addition to OHSS, another possible complication is ovarian torsion. It’s best to avoid extreme exercise until after your period post-retrieval (which is when you’re in the clear from risks because your body has gone back to normal). It’s important to acknowledge and consider that, although those in the medical profession don’t suspect there are long-term effects from ovarian torsion, there is no research that exists to support or deny the possibility. Her Helping Habit is an active advocate for long-term tracking of donors’ health, and we are always here for you no matter how much time has passed since your donation.

The screening process includes a consult with your recipient’s fertility physician  and will cover the basics of egg donation⁠. This can be over the phone  or in-person, depending on the clinic’s proximity to you. Then you will have to undergo bloodwork (STI testing and hormone check), an internal ultrasound and a counselling session to make sure you are mentally fit and fully aware of the future implications of your donation.  

Finding a recipient could take anywhere from a couple of days to many months. This timeline is so broad because we only present you with profiles based on the preferences you indicate in your own profile. Similarly, many recipients have a list of requirements the donor should meet, and they’re typically looking for someone like themselves in some ways. Making your profile as informative as possible can help narrow down the pool of potential matches quite quickly.

Generally, the actual syncing and donation process is anywhere from two to four months after you have confirmed a match. Injections are only two weeks themselves, and many recipients are willing to work with any scheduling conflicts you may have. Please just let us know when applying so we can find you a proper match.

Recipients can be anyone! People of all genders need donated eggs to start or add to their families. It’s not uncommon for single people as well as people in heterosexual or same-sex relationships to use donor eggs. Using donated eggs is also common among women who: experienced premature menopause, have undergone cancer treatments, have been diagnosed with secondary infertility, are concerned about passing on chromosomal abnormalities or other genetic conditions, and so on.  

Only if you want them to! We will present you with matches according to your comfort level and your wishes. At a minimum, we ask that you be open to contact with any offspring born from your donation when they reach 18.  

Adoption is not as easy as one may think, and there are several things an individual or couple considers before deciding to go down the egg-donation path:  

·       The financial burden of adoption is similar to that of egg donation.  

·       The waitlists for adoption are long.  

·       Many couples wish to experience parenthood from infancy.

·       Many couples also wish to be in control of what their child is exposed to in utero. 

·       A woman may want to experience pregnancy.

·       A couple may want their child to have a genetic connection to one partner. 

If you are interested and feel you are healthy and in a good state of mind, please fill out an initial application here and/or book a consult with Katelyn here so she can answer all of your questions and tell you more about the program and what to expect if you and Katelyn decide to take this journey together.  Once you submit an application, you will receive an informational packet via email and be asked to set up a video call with an egg donor coordinator. During that call, you can ask as many questions as you like and the coordinator will determine if you’re a good candidate. If you’re a good fit, the coordinator will move you to the next step of the process where you will fill out a more detailed profile form.

Her Helping Habit specializes in deeply meaningful egg-donation experiences. Egg Donor Coordinator Katelyn Paquin created this program to provide the support and information she wishes she had when she began donating. She took everything she learned during her first donation and pulled it together to form a friendly, informative and caring place for potential donors who have questions as well as experienced donors who are ready to embark on another journey. Katelyn works with every potential egg donor one on one to obtain completely informed consent, address all worries and concerns and help you decide if egg donation is right for you.

If it is, take Katelyn’s hand and let her guide you throughout the entire process. You don’t need to worry about feeling confused or alone on this journey. At Her Helping Habit, we are transparent, honest and quick to answer your questions. 

Her Helping Habit is also the first egg donation agency to offer strictly known donation services, which is something that best serves all parties involved, based on the latest research available. 

While on medication, egg donors are asked to live as healthily as possible. Many contracts will specify no intercourse, intense exercise, alcohol, and/or over-the-counter and illegal drugs. Your physician or nurse will likely go over this with you as well.  

Totally! Depending on how far the clinic is from your home, you may need to travel for three to five monitoring appointments in the days leading up to your retrieval. You may find it more comfortable to stay overnight somewhere close to the clinic following your retrieval procedure. For cycles that require flying, you should plan to be away from work or school for about a week. Remember, you will be presented with profiles based on what you have indicated interest in, so if you want to travel, indicate that. If you would rather stay close to home, we will only present you with local recipients.  

It’s important to acknowledge the financial strain most of our parents are under due to the high costs of fertility treatments and medications because these are not covered by extended health care plans. Because of this, it’s critical to take your responsibilities seriously. That means showing up on time to all appointments and giving everyone as much notice as possible anytime you need to cancel or reschedule. Handling your medications with care and administering them at the correct time every day is also crucial because fertility medications can cost between $3,000 and $5,000. Maintaining open, honest and frequent communication with the clinic, agency and intended parents is also a key responsibility of an egg donor.

Absolutely not. All your rights and responsibilities are waived in the clinic documentation you sign. This is covered in more detail in the legal contract developed between you and the recipient(s). Her Helping Habit will assist you with all of this and refer you to a lawyer who specializes in egg donation.  

You have the potential to develop a unique, lifelong relationship with your recipients and donor offspring. It’s a beautiful way to have more people to include in your family circle.

You will receive no-cost-to-you genetic and hormone testing, which could potentially provide invaluable information to you about your health.

A donor must spend roughly a week in a major Canadian city for almost daily appointments at a fertility clinic. Her day is hers to explore the city afterwards. All travel, lodging and food are covered by the recipients because the donor wouldn't be there otherwise. The donor is also required to bring a companion as someone has to check the donor out from her retrieval and help care for her for 24 hours afterward. Many girls make a nice little trip out of their donations! 

Yes, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that a donor donate no more than six times. Every fertility doctor has their own professional opinion, and some don’t follow this guideline. It's up to you to consider the pros and cons of donating multiple times. Research the risks, consult your doctor and—most of all—listen to your body. 

Surrogacy is an agreement in which a woman chooses to become pregnant through an embryo transfer and carry the resulting pregnancy for the intended parent(s). It is recommended that professionals guide both parties through the medical, legal and emotional processes.

Absolutely! In fact, surrogates and intended parents CHOOSE EACH OTHER. Generally, surrogates are presented with Intended Parent profiles and she can choose which parents she would like to chat with (can be more than one profile). From there, they would get to know each other through email, phone calls, video calls or even in-person meetings. Once the surrogate has had some time to get to know the IPs, they will agree on a match, and the journey will begin.

Requirements:

* Must be at least 21 years of age

* Must have had at least one natural born child of your own (some exceptions made)

* Have had generally uncomplicated pregnancies and births

* Must have no major prior reproductive complications

* Must have no known major health problems or be taking any medication that is unsafe for pregnancy

* Must be in good mental, physical, and emotional health

* Be a non-smoker, and no consumption of illegal substances

* Be financially stable

* Be willing to undergo subcutaneous and intramuscular injections (with some exceptions) and take medications to support a surrogate pregnancy

* Be willing to undergo medical and psychological screening (partner/spouse as well)

* We advise you to be done completing your family before becoming a surrogate due to the risks involved in pregnancy

A surrogate's reimbursement schedule can range from as low as 15,000 up to 50,000 and depends on her specific situation.

Embryos will be created in a fertility clinic lab using IVF or "in vitro fertilization" IVF makes it possible to gather eggs from the mother or an egg donor, fertilize them with sperm from the father or a sperm donor, and place the embryo into the uterus of a gestational surrogate. For the surrogate, this embryo transfer experience is similar to having a PAP test at the doctor’s office. In preparation for the embryo transfer, the surrogate will take a carefully timed series of medications to prepare her body to receive the embryo. In addition, she will be monitored throughout the process and the resulting pregnancy.

Yes, altruistic surrogacy is legal in Canada and is regulated under the federal Assisted Human Reproduction Act (“AHRA”). In Canada, surrogates are only permitted to have certain expenses reimbursed or paid for but not to be paid a salary or otherwise gifted items in lieu of a salary. The surrogate’s reimbursable expenses require documentation, such as receipts, and may require written confirmation from a medical professional that the expenses are necessary. This includes: the surrogate’s travel to medical appointments; the surrogate’s legal fees; counseling services; products or services recommended in writing by a doctor or midwife; and maternity clothes.

From the time a person begins the process to the moment the baby is born, it generally takes one to two years. There are several variables that will affect this: time spent waiting for a match with a surrogate, the amount of time it takes for the surrogate to become pregnant, and more.

Yes. There are times in the surrogacy journey that the surrogate would need to travel. Some of the medical screening can be done where the surrogate lives. Still, most times, a surrogate would be expected to travel to the IP’s fertility clinic to complete medical screening (this is generally a 1-2 day trip depending on how far a surrogate lives from the clinic). A surrogate would also be expected to travel for the embryo transfer. This can be anywhere from 1-3 days, depending on the clinic's protocol for transfer. If there is additional monitoring involved, that time could be increased.

No, a surrogate cannot keep the baby. There has never been a legal case in Canada where a surrogate has tried to keep the surrogate baby. A legal contract is drawn up prior to the surrogacy journey, where all parties express a clear interest in their intentions for the surrogacy journey. Once a baby is born, a fertility law lawyer will ensure that the birth is properly registered and that the intended parents are named as the child’s parents in accordance with the law in the jurisdiction where the child is born.

In a gestational carrier agreement, there is no genetic link to the baby, so the baby is not hers. Surrogates are not interested in keeping the babies they carry; they do this for the IPs and want to see them become parents. Surrogates are also currently required to have had their own children already. They commonly say that their surrogate pregnancies didn’t emotionally feel like their pregnancies with their own children and that it was a happy moment to hand the baby back to their family. It’s common to hear a surrogate mother say they are a 9-month babysitter!

In a traditional surrogacy, the surrogate could possibly have some parentage rights should she choose to fight for those rights in court. This is also very rare.

For gestational surrogacy, the answer is no. There is no genetic tie between the surrogate and the baby she is carrying. The genetic mother would be the woman whose egg helped to create the baby. In Canada, it is not necessary to have a genetic mother listed on the birth certificate.

In cases of gestational surrogacy, the baby will have the genetic makeup of its intended parents. The cells that seep through the placenta from the gestational carrier will not affect that in any way. However, the surrogate mother still affects the baby in other ways. Of course, the nutrition and overall health of the surrogate mother influence the baby. A surrogate pregnancy is fundamentally no different than any other pregnancy.

Potentially, you might experience symptoms close to those you would experience during your monthly cycle. Your hormones will change, and mood fluctuations are normal, as they are during any pregnancy. It is important to take care of your emotional and mental health as a surrogate, ensuring a good support system is in place before beginning this process.

Yes, a surrogate can legally get an abortion. Abortion is outlined in the surrogacy contract and will be considered before any action is taken.

There are never any guarantees in surrogacy. We try our best to ensure everything within our control is done to help support a surrogate pregnancy, but there are no guarantees.

Gestational surrogacy (no genetic relation) is the most common type of surrogacy in Canada.

Legal contracts are in place before a journey begins to ensure that everyone is in agreement with regards to everything that the journey could possibly entail. It is rare that a contract is taken to court, but technically, yes, a surrogacy contract is enforceable to a certain degree.

Surrogates give birth in many ways: in hospitals, birthing centers or even at home. This is something that the IP’s and Surrogate agree on prior to the pregnancy - which can change during the pregnancy depending on many factors. For the most part, IPs are usually in the room when their surrogate gives birth, but this is also discussed. IPs will sometimes be invited to help catch the baby, cut the baby’s cord and/or do skin-to-skin with the baby after birth if possible. A surrogate birth can be a special experience for all.

Surrogates are counseled very well in the beginning and do not change their minds about helping the couple they are matched with. Of course, life circumstances can change, and she could change her mind about pursuing surrogacy - but not once actually pregnant with her IPs baby.

Parents are recommended to budget somewhere between $25,000 and $45,000 for a fresh egg donor cycle in Canada. This will cover clinic costs, outside monitoring, medication, legal and agency fees, donor reimbursements and travel costs. This estimate can increase by thousands depending on the services you choose. Using an agent like Her Helping Habit can save you currency fees and provide more eggs, meaning more opportunities for what you’re already spending. If finances concern you, ask us about sharing an egg donor or set up a consultation to learn about alternative options.

Absolutely! Although we focus more on services in Canada, we often help clients from the United States and are always willing to help those across the globe if we can. If this is you, please send us a message.  

Egg donors are not compensated, but they are reimbursed for any egg donation-related expenses such as lost wages, childcare, house/dog sitting, travel, mileage, etc. Our Egg Donor Coordinator would be happy to go over the reimbursement process with you over the phone during a free 30-minute consult call that you can book here.

There is so much emerging research today that supports a known donation being the best option. Third-party reproduction is fairly new; the first offspring from successful egg donation was born in 1983, during an era of keeping everything “hush hush.” It is only now as these children become adults that we are learning about their feelings, perspectives and opinions about anonymity, and it is very apparent this community wants to be able to access information if needed. The industry is still changing and Her Helping Habit is a leader in this. Please contact us for a list of research articles.

Known donation allows for the exchange of pertinent information between the intended parents and potential donors. Recipients and egg donors are free to choose whether to meet in person or not, and they can elect to maintain contact throughout their lives or simply leave the lines of communication open for later exchanges of information. Her Helping Habit can assist you with determining what level of communication works best for all parties. 

We are personable, compassionate, kind, transparent, honest and we’re here to take your hand and guide you through your infertility journey. Her Helping Habit Founder and Egg Donor Coordinator Katelyn Paquin has made it her life’s work to help people start or add to their families in a way that is uplifting for everyone involved. Her personal experience donating her own eggs to help others conceive makes her a uniquely qualified, compassionate and understanding partner throughout the entire process.

Helping people find a known donor is what we specialize in! We do not believe in anonymous donations; therefore, we do not offer them. Please see the above question on why you should use a known donor.

To begin browsing our extensive database of egg donors, please fill out our online application here. When filling out the application, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We’re here to help!

This varies depending on what you are looking for in an egg donor and your chosen donor’s availability. Some donors can only donate during university holidays or have other commitments like childcare to arrange. We always do our best to find a donor based on your timeline, whether you want to find a donor ASAP or you want to start browsing donor profiles now for a donation in the near future.  

At Her Helping Habit, each of our egg donors is screened; we review the potential donor’s medical history (as well as her family medical history), her psychological history and her responses to personality questions are all assessed before being considered for our database. If a donor has donated before, we will have those records as well. We are the only agency with a registered social worker and therapeutic counselor (Founder and Egg Donor Coordinator Katelyn Paquin) on staff who does all the screening, which offers an extra level of security.

Yes, the words ‘donation’ and ‘adoption’ are often seen as interchangeable. Some agencies will use the word ‘adoption’ because Intended Parents of the embryo(s) will be screened in a similar way to that of a traditional adoption. For example, at HHH recipients in the embryo donation program have to complete a Criminal Background Check and a home study. Others refer to use the word ‘adoption’ to better represent the relationship between the donor family, recipients, and the child(ren).

Yes, HHH has a track record of working with clients located all over the world. However, as a Canadian agency, we are required to follow Canadian reproductive laws. Moreover, it is suggested that embryo donors and recipients be in the same country and/or region.

Legally, no. In Canada, embryo adoption is considered a transfer of property.

At HHH, all the embryos (1-20+) a donor family possesses will be given to the recipient. Once the recipient has completed their family, all remaining embryos are to be returned to the original family. You can then choose to donate to another couple if you like.

Our embryo donation process differs from traditional egg donation. While recipients in our egg donor program choose based on preferences, embryo donors have the final say after reviewing recipient profiles. However, both parties often seek similarities in traits and values for a genuine, lasting connection.

If you are not currently working with an IVF clinic, we can refer you to several different IVF doctors so you can find the best clinic that fits your needs. Embryos can also be shipped at an additional cost of the recipients.

We require for intended parents to notify us and the original donors if there is a pregnancy, miscarriage, or live birth. If there is not a successful pregnancy/live birth we offer a 50% re-matching discount fee if the intended parents wish to try again.

AWe encourage you to communicate openly with your coordinator about your situation. HHH strives for transparency and suitability in our matching process, without giving false hopes.

Surrogacy is an agreement in which a woman chooses to become pregnant through an embryo transfer and carry the resulting pregnancy for the intended parent(s). It is recommended that professionals guide both parties through the medical, legal and emotional processes.

Surrogates come from all different backgrounds and walks of life, but they have one main thing in common — the desire to help people in an incredibly special and meaningful way. They are mothers, sisters, cousins or friends who help others build families through pregnancy.

Embryos will be created in a fertility clinic lab using IVF or "in vitro fertilization" IVF makes it possible to gather eggs from the mother or an egg donor, fertilize them with sperm from the father or a sperm donor, and place the embryo into the uterus of a gestational surrogate. For the surrogate, this embryo transfer experience is similar to having a PAP test at the doctor’s office. In preparation for the embryo transfer, the surrogate will take a carefully timed series of medications to prepare her body to receive the embryo. She will be monitored throughout the process and the resulting pregnancy.

Yes, she can carry as either a traditional (uses her eggs) or a gestational (uses your eggs or donor eggs) surrogate. Oftentimes, friends are great matches for surrogacy as they are already connected to you and can offer help more altruistically.

Surrogacy becomes an option for people with known fertility issues or life circumstances preventing them from carrying a child of their own. Most people take their time considering surrogacy, as it is a very expensive and time-consuming journey.

Yes. There are times in the surrogacy journey that the surrogate would need to travel. Some of the medical screening can be done where the surrogate lives. Still, most times, a surrogate would be expected to travel to the IP’s fertility clinic to complete medical screening (this is generally a 1-2 day trip depending on how far a surrogate lives from the clinic). A surrogate would also be expected to travel for the embryo transfer. This can be anywhere from 1-3 days, depending on the clinic's protocol for transfer. If there is additional monitoring involved, that time could be increased.

From the time a person begins the process to the moment the baby is born, it generally takes one to two years. There are several variables that will affect this: time spent waiting for a match with a surrogate, the amount of time it takes for the surrogate to become pregnant, and more.

Yes, altruistic surrogacy is legal in Canada and is regulated under the federal Assisted Human Reproduction Act (“AHRA”). In Canada, surrogates are only permitted to have certain expenses reimbursed or paid for but not to be paid a salary or otherwise gifted items in lieu of a salary. The surrogate’s reimbursable expenses require documentation, such as receipts, and may require written confirmation from a medical professional that the expenses are necessary. This includes: the surrogate’s travel to medical appointments; the surrogate’s legal fees; counseling services; products or services that are recommended in writing by a doctor or midwife; and maternity clothes.

The baby is biologically related to the two people who contribute the egg and sperm when the embryo is created, not whose uterus the baby is carried in; this is just where the baby grows.

That means that if intended parents need the aid of egg and/or sperm donors to create an embryo, the baby will be biologically related to the donor(s). If the egg and/or sperm come from the intended parents, then the baby is biologically related to them.

In cases of gestational surrogacy, the baby will have the genetic makeup of its intended parents. The cells that seep through the placenta from the gestational carrier will not affect that in any way. However, the surrogate mother still affects the baby in other ways. Of course, the nutrition and overall health of the surrogate mother influence the baby. A surrogate pregnancy is fundamentally no different than any other pregnancy.

For gestational surrogacy, the answer is no. There is no genetic tie between the surrogate and the baby she is carrying. The genetic mother would be the woman whose egg helped to create the baby. In Canada, it is not necessary to have a genetic mother listed on the birth certificate.

No, a surrogate cannot keep the baby. There has never been a legal case in Canada where a surrogate has tried to keep the surrogate baby. A legal contract is drawn up prior to the surrogacy journey where all parties express a clear interest in their intentions for the surrogacy journey. Once a baby is born, a fertility law lawyer will ensure that the birth is properly registered and that the intended parents are named as the child’s parents in accordance with the law in the jurisdiction where the child is born.

In a gestational carrier agreement, there is no genetic link to the baby, so the baby is not hers. Surrogates are not interested in keeping the babies they carry; they are doing this for the IPs and want to see them become parents. Surrogates are also currently required to have had their own children already. They commonly say that their surrogate pregnancies didn’t emotionally feel like their pregnancies with their own children and that it was a happy moment to hand the baby back to their family. It’s common to hear a surrogate mother say they are a 9-month babysitter!

In a traditional surrogacy, the surrogate could possibly have some parentage rights should she choose to fight for those rights in court. This is also very rare.

The average surrogacy journey (from embryo creation to birth of baby) ranges anywhere from $50,000 to over $100,000.

If you are looking to find a “free” surrogate mother, you might start by looking within your own network for an eligible friend or family member who wishes to carry for you but, keep in mind this does not mean she won’t still incur expenses you are responsible for. Otherwise, finding a completely altruistic surrogate is often a path you must take on your own.

As surrogates are not paid, but reimbursed, the reimbursement is not taxable.

Generally, no. Insurance can cover some of the medications and procedures related to surrogacy, but the reimbursements made to the surrogate are not covered by insurance. It is best to contact your insurance provider to get more details on what may or may not be covered.

Yes, a surrogate can legally get an abortion. Abortion is outlined in the surrogacy contract and will be considered before any action is taken.

There are never any guarantees in surrogacy. We try our best to ensure everything within our control is done to help support a surrogate pregnancy, but there are no guarantees.

Surrogates are counseled very well in the beginning and do not change their minds about helping the couple they are matched with. Of course, life circumstances can change, and she could change her mind about pursuing surrogacy - but not once actually pregnant with her IPs baby.

Legal contracts are in place before a journey begins to ensure that everyone agrees with regards to everything that the journey could possibly entail. A contract is rarely taken to court, but technically, a surrogacy contract is enforceable to a certain degree.

Gestational surrogacy (no genetic relation) is the most common type of surrogacy in Canada.

Both surrogacy and adoption are valid options in Canada for family building. There are pros and cons to each option and many who have chosen one, will fall back on the other if it doesn’t result in children.

However, surrogacy can offer a genetic tie to the child. While many parents choose to adopt, for some it is very important to have a genetic link to a child for various reasons.

Surrogates give birth in many ways: in hospitals, birthing centers or even at home. This is something that the IP’s and Surrogate agree on prior to the pregnancy - which can change during the pregnancy depending on many factors. For the most part, IPs are usually in the room when their surrogate gives birth, but this is also discussed. IPs will sometimes be invited to help catch the baby, cut the baby’s cord and/or do skin-to-skin with the baby after birth if possible. A surrogate birth can be a special experience for all.