Apply today to become a surrogate!
Give one of the greatest gifts anyone can ever give… the gift of life.
An outline of the surrogacy process for surrogates.
Step 1
Surrogate Application
If you would like to become a surrogate, please complete and submit the Surrogate Application. Before proceeding with a surrogacy arrangement please review our Surrogate Qualifications, Become a Surrogate and Surrogate Checklist pages.
Step 2
Profile
Once we have received your application we will email you to set up a date/time for your phone consult. During this consult we will assess your candidacy to be a surrogate, go over the surrogacy process, and answer any questions/concerns you may have. If you decide at this time you would like to move forward as a surrogate, we will list your picture and basic information on our website (members section) and email your profile to intended parents. You can choose to have your profile go to all intended parents or only the ones that meet the preferences you may have (such as location). During your membership you can contact Surrogacy in Canada Online anytime if you have questions and/or concerns.
Step 3
Meeting & Matching
Intended parents will receive your profile by email. If they are interested in considering you as their surrogate, they will contact you by email introducing themselves. During this time, you may respond to the intended parents you are interested in matching with. Many intended parents will want to make arrangements to call, meet or facetime/skype to get to know you better. Once you’ve found the intended parent(s) you would like to help and they’ve asked you to be their surrogate (and you say yes)… it’s a match! Be sure you are all on the same page with the important CONSIDERATIONS of a surrogacy arrangement. Any pregnancy/surrogacy related expenses you may incur will be covered by the intended parents, please visit our Expenses & Reimbursement page for more information. (Some intended parents will ask their surrogate for a criminal background check. If so you can request one also).
Step 4
Medical Screening
Once you have matched, the first step is to travel to the IVF clinic your intended parent(s) is/are using for your medical and psychological screening. This typically involves a one day trip with all travelling expenses paid for by intended parents. (For traditional surrogacy you may travel to the IVF clinic or your family doctor for a medical assessment depending on whether you are doing IVF or home inseminations).
Step 5
Legal
After passing medical and psychological screening, we refer both parties to separate legal representation to begin contracts (this is paid for by the intended parent(s)). Communication with your lawyer is typically done via phone/email. Once contracts are finalized and signed, you will move into the medical phase of the journey to get pregnant. Surrogates should also have a life insurance policy and will in place (this is paid for by intended parents). Please visit our Canadian Insurance Agent List for more information.
Step 6
Cycling & Getting Pregnant
For gestational surrogacy, the IVF clinic will instruct you with taking hormonal medication to prepare your body to accept your intended parents embryo(s). This medication may be oral/nasal/vaginal or injectables (cycling protocol varies among clinics). Please visit our Surrogate Medications page for more information. You will travel to the IVF clinic for ultrasounds (to check your uterine lining) and the embryo transfer procedure (both one day trips paid for by the intended parents). For traditional surrogacy you may either undergo the IVF process to create embryos or do home inseminations. (Traditional surrogacy makes up less than 2% of surrogacy arrangements).
Step 7
Pregnancy
During your pregnancy you can choose to see your own doctor/obstetrician/midwife. Most surrogates are accompanied by their intended parents at pre-natal appointments. Some intended parents choose to do gender reveal parties, maternity photos or baby showers with their surrogate. Enjoy your pregnancy together!
Step 8
Birth & Post Partum
You can choose to give birth in a hospital, clinic/centre or homebirth. You may want to enlist the aide of a doula and/or birth photographer at this time. You are going to the give the most incredible gift… the gift of life! Many surrogates provide breastmilk to their intended parent(s) and baby if possible. The majority of Canadian surrogates and intended parents become lifelong friends after the birth of the baby.
How In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Works
