Surrogate Handbook

Where to find itWhy Choose Fertility Match?

The Fertility Match Difference

Qualifying Factors

Frequently Asked Questions

Overview of the Surrogacy Process

Applying and Matching

Medical and IVF

Pregnancy and Delivery

All About our Intended Parents

What to Look For in Intended Parents

Talking to Your Family About Surrogacy

Surrogate Support

Reimbursable Expenses

Expense Log

Building Canadian Families

Contact Us

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Why Choose Fertility Match?

The most important thing for us is to make your journey the best it can be. And it can be a wonderful and fulfill-ing journey with the right match and proper support from a caring fertility agency company like Fertility Match.

Becoming a Surrogate mother is an enormous and rewarding undertaking. You definitely want to make sure you are working with an agency that is right for you, with your best interests in mind.

Fertility Match is a Fertility Consulting Company that truly understands the entire Surrogacy process, and what the participants go through. The Co-Founders of Fertility Match have active experience as both a Surrogate in Canada and Intended Parent in Canada. This can provide Surrogates with tremendous comfort and reas-surance, knowing they have someone to turn to for empathy and support.

This is the advantage of working with us. Fertility Match is ground-ed in the belief that Intended Parents, Surrogates and Egg Donors should be optimally sup-ported in their journey with com-passionate, professional fertility agency services to make fami-lies a reality, equally but in differ-ent ways.

To ensure we can deliver the level of Fertility Consulting all parties deserve, we developed our Core Values: Respect, Support, Trust and Integrity. It is our promise to you that we will always act in accordance with these values when working with our clientele and partners.

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The Fertility Match Difference

• We spend additional time with Surrogates and Intended Parents to ensure the perfect match

• We ensure YOUR desired journey is matched with the intentions of the Intended Parent(s)

• Personality Profiles are analyzed so that we can focus the connection between you and the Intended Parents

• Successful and smooth engagement for you

• All Surrogates and Intended Parentss will be wor ing directly with the owners

• We are Canada’s only low-volume, customized Fertility Consulting Agency

• Our focus is on you and your experience

• We manage the trust account for you

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Qualifying Factors

Thank you for considering Surrogacy!

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• You must be a Canadian Citizen with active provincial health insurance• Between the ages of 21-45• Non-smoker and no recreational drug use• Overall healthy with regular menstrual cycles• You are a parent who has had an easy pregnancy and birth• Ideal BMI is below 32 or below• Must be willing to undergo psychological and medical assessments and provide medical history (partner as well if applicable)• • Willing to travel to fertility clinic, lawyer and doctor appointments• Ability to take time away from work, family and other obligations• Willing to take IVF medications• No issue with relinquishing child or children after birth

Frequently Asked QuestionsWill the child be genetically related to me? At Fertility Match, we only work with Gestational Surrogates. Gestational Surrogates are not genetically relat-ed to the child. The Intended Mother, or Egg Donor, undergoes an egg retrieval. Her eggs are then fertilized with the Intended Father ’s sperm, or the sperm from a donor. The fertilized egg becomes an embryo, which is then transferred into the Surrogate.

Do I get to choose to work with an OB, Midwife, or Doula?Yes. By the 12th week of pregnancy, you will be released by the fertility clinic and will get to choose which kind of prenatal care you prefer. We ask you to tell us your preference when you are coming into the program, so we can match you with Intended Parents that are on board with your care and birth plan.

Can I be a Surrogate if I haven’t given birth? One of the requirements in being a Surrogate is that you have had a least one child of your own. A fertility clinic will not screen you in as a Surrogate if these criteria is not met. At Fertility Match, we ask that you have had at least one pregnancy without complications.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I have to pay for my pregnancy-related expenses?No, the Surrogacy journey is at no cost to you. You will be reimbursed for your pregnancy-related expenses up to $30,000. This can include things such as groceries, maternity clothes, lost wages for appointments, etc. Please see page X for details on reimbursable expenses.

Will I see the children after the birth? The Intended Parents in our program are looking to work with a Surrogate who will be an extension of their family and be a special “aunt” to their children after the birth.

Will I have to travel away from home? We will discuss with you what your desires are for travel related to medical appointments. We understand that not all Surrogates are able to travel due to family commitments. We have Intended Parents from all over Canada, so it is your choice what your parameters are.

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Sometimes, when making something so precious, beautiful, and unique, it takes an

extra helping heart.

An Overview of the Surrogacy Process1. Application & Fertility Match Evaluation

2. Matching with Intended Parents - It typically takes 1-3 months to become matched.

3. Medical Work Up - Once you are matched, the medical screening process, including the legal process, usually takes 1-3 months.

4. The IVF Cycle - Once you have been cleared to start your IVF cycle you are typically on medications for 3-4 weeks before you have an embryo transfer.

5. Pregnancy & Delivery

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Surrogacy Process – Step 1

Application & Evaluation

• Begin by filling out the online Surrogate application. This application asks about your lifestyle, pregnancy, medical, and work history.• It is crucial that you complete the application tho- roughly and honestly so that we can get to know you and match you with appropriate IPs• We request a medical pre-screening including a pelvic ultrasound and bloodwork to be completed by your family doctor. You will also have a psych consult done by our counsellor.

Surrogacy Process – Step 2

Matching

• Once you are accepted into the Fertility Match family, we discuss information about possible IPs as we build your custom match• This tailored approach is based on aligned values as well as personal, medical and psychological criteria • When everyone feels right with the selection, we arrange a match meeting to discuss all expectations during your surrogacy engagement• This is one of the most important and reaffirming steps n the journey together – establishing an incredible connection between you as the Surrogate and your hopeful IPs

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Surrogacy Process – Step 3

Medical

• You will be meeting at the IVF clinic with the IPs’ phys cian, who will speak with you in detail and perform a Surrogacy information assessment.• The work up varies from clinic to clinic but will often include: - Vaginal ultrasound – a probe is inserted into the vagina enabling the technician to look at your uterus for polyps, scar tissue and lining thickness - Physical and pap smear - Hysteroscopy – a procedure where a small camera is placed in the uterus to look at the uterine cavity• Medical instruction of the IVF cycle, injections, medic tion use and embryo transfer

Surrogacy Process – Step 4

IVF Cycle• The IVF nurse will give you full instructions and details about the surrogate medic tions needed, the medical protocol, any restrictions, and expectations during the Surrogate mother process. In preparation for your uterus to receive embryos crea ed by the couple:• You will most likely be asked to take estrogen and progesterone in either patch, pill, suppository or injection form. You may also be asked to take a birth control pill to regulate and synch your menstrual cycle with the intended mom or egg donor.• You will have regular blood draws and ultrasounds to monitor the progress of the cycle.• You will have an embryo transfer where a small catheter is inserted into your vagina and through to your uterus. The embryos will be placed through the catheter and into the uterus for anticipated implantation.

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Surrogacy Process - Step 5 - Pregnancy & Delivery

• This pregnancy may be different from your own pregnancies in that it is conceived via IVF and requires a little more early attention.• You may be asked to have your blood drawn, ultrasounds or other procedures far more regularly.• There is a possibility of multiples that may require additional office visits, bed rest or other monitoring.• This pregnancy is shared with the loving IPs, and therefore requires ongoing commu cation about the developing fetus, your health status, needs for support, or other matters.• You will be participating in surrogate mother support groups and events to assure all of your questions are answered.• Delivery is a very special time for all involved and we will work on creating a birth plan that will attempt to meet everyone’s needs.

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Fertility Match Intended Parents • Intended Parents who are accepted into our Program are carefully selected by the owners themselves

• Fertility Match is low volume agency, and we offer a high-value service that our Intended Parents appreci-ate that approach

• They are truly grateful for the gift you are offering to them, so they can become parents

• Want to have an amazing journey with their Surrogate, before, during, and after pregnancy

• Choose what type of Intended Parents you would like to carry for. They could be single, heterosexual or same sex

• You can choose the type and preferred location of Intended Parent you would like to work with

• We work with Canadians located within Canada

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What should I look for in my

Intended Parents?

Becoming a Surrogate Mother is a very personal choice. The reasons why a woman chooses to be a Surrogate Mother vary. When starting out on your journey as a Surrogate Mother, take time to think about who you are meant to help. Is it a single parent, a heterosexual couple or a same sex couple?

Are you looking for someone who is wanting the same amount of contact as you are? Would you like the Intended Parents to attend the ultrasound appointments, or be present at the birth? These are factors we want to know as you come into our program, so we can be sure to match you with Intended Parents who have similar expectations.

How do you feel about selective reduction or termination of pregnan-cy due to birth defects in the fetus? This is a very important subject and one that makes you look inward. Perhaps you would prefer Intended Parents who will take any number of children that result from Surrogacy. You must also ask yourself if you would accept to terminate the preg-nancy if it is determined that the fetus has birth defects. It ’s all very person-al, and there is no right or wrong

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Make families a reality for deserving aspiring parents.

Talking to your family about SurrogacyBefore coming into a Surrogacy pro-gram, you should have a very open conversation with your spouse/partner to ensure that they are on board and fully support you. You could experience additional stress during the journey if your significant other is not supportive of your surrogacy plans, or if your relation-ship is not stable.

We think of Surrogacy as a full family journey. It is very important to talk with your partner throughout the entire surro-gacy process. This is the best way to assist and overcome and challenges you, your significant other or your rela-tionship may encounter. If you are having difficulties having this conversation with your partner, we invite you to speak with our Surrogacy Personal Support Director who can guie the two of you along through the process.

Since a requirement to become a Surrogate is that you have had at least one child, the conversation about your journey is bound to come up with your child(ren). It is very important to be open and honest but geared to their age and understanding. A positive and excited outlook on the journey will add to their excitement and make the journey something they will be proud of.

Many Surrogates want to include their children in the relationship with the Intended Parents and we think this is a wonderful idea. For the children, it will help them to understand who these people are and where the baby born from the Surrogacy will be going.

Making Surrogacy a normal part of everyday life and the conversations that you have will help make your children more open-minded and accepting of families of all backgrounds.

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• This pregnancy may be different from your own pregnancies in that it is conceived via IVF and requires a little more early attention.• You may be asked to have your blood drawn, ultrasounds or other procedures far more regularly.• There is a possibility of multiples that may require additional office visits, bed rest or other monitoring.• This pregnancy is shared with the loving IPs, and therefore requires ongoing commu cation about the developing fetus, your health status, needs for support, or other matters.• You will be participating in surrogate mother support groups and events to assure all of your questions are answered.• Delivery is a very special time for all involved and we will work on creating a birth plan that will attempt to meet everyone’s needs.

Surrogacy Personal Support The Surrogacy journey involves more than just the Surrogate and Intended Parents. Surrogacy is a family jour-ney and it involves all those that are dearest to you. There are elements of the Surrogacy experience that can impact their lives and the concept of Surrogacy may be new to them. Partners and surrounding family and friends may have questions and concerns when they hear about your decision to explore Surrogacy. Their responses may surprise you – it may be confusing for them to first understand this life changing journey you have generously chosen to embark on.

Surrogacy is not a journey you embark on alone. It will set a wonderful example for your children, inspire your spouse with your selflessness, and have a lifelong impact on your loved ones. Our Surrogacy Personal Support Director will sit down with your support(s) to discuss what is involved in supporting a Surrogate and answer any questions they may have about Surrogacy.

It is our goal is to make sure anyone in the role of support for a Surrogate in our program understands just how important their role is and how much a part of the journey and story they are. We understand this from a partner point of view and can guide a Surrogates’ support system through the journey, answering questions at every stage.

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• Intended Parents who are accepted into our Program are carefully selected by the owners themselves

• Fertility Match is low volume agency, and we offer a high-value service that our Intended Parents appreci-ate that approach

• They are truly grateful for the gift you are offering to them, so they can become parents

• Want to have an amazing journey with their Surrogate, before, during, and after pregnancy

• Choose what type of Intended Parents you would like to carry for. They could be single, heterosexual or same sex

• You can choose the type and preferred location of Intended Parent you would like to work with

• We work with Canadians located within Canada

Reimbursable Expenses The Surrogacy journey is at no cost to you. It is legal to be a surrogate in Canada but there are some restric-tions, mainly around compensation. The Assisted Human Reproduction Acts in Canada prohibits direct com-pensation meaning that surrogates cannot be paid for their services however they can be reimbursed for their related expenses. You will receive reimbursement for expenses related to pregnancy up to $30,000, excluding travel to the clinic before and including the transfer, and other allowances in the event of a multiple pregnancy or a C-Section.

What are related expenses? The specific expenses that can be reimbursed will be clearly outlined in individual legal contracts to a pre-determined amount. Examples of reimbursable expenses could include:

• Gym/fitness memberships

• Groceries and Prepared Food

• Maternity Clothing

• Housekeeping

• Childcare

• Massage, Chiropractor, Foot Care

• Travel related to medical appointments

• Lost Wages (certain conditions apply)

• Expenses that you would incur regardless of the surrogacy, pregnancy or donation (i.e. rent, mortgage payment, car insurance) are not reimbursable.

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Surrogate Expense LogEvery month during pregnancy, you will fill out a Surrogate Expense log and send it to us along with your receipts. We will reimburse you for your expenses.

Before the embryo transfer, you will use a similar log for expenses incurred during travel to your appoint-ments.

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Building Canadian Families

It is our mission and Fertility Match to work with domestic Intended Parents and Surrogates. We feel very strongly that the Intended Parents in Canada should be helped to have their family created. We

also thought about the Surrogates and who they would be on a journey with when we made this decision..

What does it mean to be working with Canadian Intended Parents?

• A closer relationship with the Intented Parents you are working with

• The chance for more communication

• Intended Parents can be present at as many medical appointments that you are comfortable with

• Ensure that they will be by your side for the birth

• You can share more closely the aspects of the pregnancy with them

• A chance to see the family you helped to create more often after the birth

Reach Out to UsTelephone: 1-833-33-MATCHE-mail: info@fertilitymatch.caWebsite: www.fertilitymatch.ca

100 Gloucester Street, Suite 630Ottawa, ON K2P 0A4

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have!

It is such a wonderful thing you are considering doing to help an aspiring family! Being a Surrogate is a life changing journey, both for you and your loved ones. Surrogacy gives you an everlasting sense of pride and accomplishment as well as a lifelong bond and connection with the family you help create.

We are here to connect very amazing prospective parents with a Surrogate and change lives. We want you to have the proper information to make a good decision, to know if this is the right journey for you and your family.

With Fertility Match, there is no pressure and no tactics, and we pride ourselves on being there with you through every step of your journey. This is a life decision that should be made with all the facts as well as the excitement, and as caring professionals we have the experience and compassion to deliver exceptional service.

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Thank you for considering

this wonderful gift!