Path to Surrogacy – what to expect if you're just getting started

If you're new to the world of surrogacy, welcome. It's a community with its own language, its own rhythms, and – once you find your way in – a remarkable amount of warmth and support.

We've been on this journey for four years. We've learned a lot, made mistakes, and figured out what matters. This post is our attempt to share some of that – especially for women who are curious but don't yet know where to begin.

The first thing to know is that Canadian altruistic surrogacy is designed to protect you. You won't be paying costs out of pocket. You'll be reimbursed for all pregnancy-related expenses, supported in case of wage loss or bed rest, and covered by life insurance. The process has checks built in at every stage – including psychological and medical clearance – to make sure you feel genuinely ready before anything moves forward.

The second thing to know is that the relationship between surrogate and intended parents comes first. Before any medical steps begin, we talk. About everything: values, expectations, communication styles, what happens in difficult scenarios. This isn't paperwork. It's the foundation of everything that follows.

A few terms you'll come across:

Intended Parents (IPs) are the people who will raise the child – that's us. A gestational surrogate carries the pregnancy but has no genetic connection to the child. The embryos are created from donor eggs and transferred during a procedure called IVF. PGT-A testing (which our embryos have undergone) checks that the embryos are chromosomally healthy before transfer. A match is when a surrogate and IPs agree to move forward together.

The process itself moves through several stages: getting to know each other, medical and psychological clearance, legal contracts (you'll have your own independent lawyer – covered by us), the transfer, and the pregnancy. Our clinic, Create Fertility in Toronto, guides the medical side. They don't proceed until everyone is ready.

We recommend joining one of the Facebook groups dedicated to surrogacy in Canada if you haven't already – the community there is honest, experienced, and generous with advice.

And of course – if you have questions for us specifically, just ask.

📧 sebastian.and.christoph@gmail.com