Does an international health insurance policy have to be taken out for the child?
We strongly recommend that intended parents research options in their home country to see if any private health insurance companies will cover the potential costs of their newborn’s birth in the U.S or Canada. If this option is unavailable, there are insurance groups in Europe, the U.S, and Canada who provide policy’s, but these must be settled prior to the child’s birth. Some insurance companies will even require a policy to be signed immediately after the embryo transfer takes place.
Why is surrogacy more expensive in the United States and Canada compared to other countries where surrogacy is legal?
- The salary of fertility experts is higher than physicians in most European countries.
- In the U.S, a surrogate receives compensation for carrying the child. In Canada, a surrogate by law can only claim compensation for expenses during pregnancy.
- The cost of living is higher.
- Healthcare is more expensive.
Do we get a birth certificate?
Yes, in the United States and Canada you receive a birth certificate on which you (the intended parents) are listed as the child’s parents.
What is a semen analysis?
A semen analysis should be completed before fertility treatment. Semen analysis’ help determine how fertile a male is. A semen analysis can be completed through a urologist or endocrinologist.
At what point does female fertility begin to decline?
Thirty-five is the age when changes typically begin for a woman’s female fertility.
Can I complete the journey to become a parent through surrogacy if I am a single parent?
Yes, in the U.S and Canada, all family types can complete IVF. (ex: single men, single women, LGTBQ couple, or heterosexual couple)
How many times will I/we need to travel to the U.S or Canada?
Travel varies per intended parent. If sperm and/or eggs are needed, the first trip will take place traveling to the fertility clinic. The second trip would be to the hospital for the baby’s birth if you use a surrogate.
How long does the entire journey last until baby delivery?
This will also vary per intended parent. There are elements of fertility which depend solely on the intended parents’ fertility diagnosis. In the U.S it could take 1-2 years and in Canada 2 or more years.
Will there be somebody helping me/us during the journey?
Outside of the fertility clinics and agencies, FaQFertility will guide and help you during your entire fertility journey.
Which are the safest places to start a surrogacy process?
There are just two countries where you get a Court Order from a local judge where the surrogate lives close to, United States and Canada. Therefore, these are the safest countries to do a surrogacy process.
For Germany a Court Order is needed to be recognized in Germany as legal parents.
In Spain the Government did discourage to go to certain countries, for example Ukraine and others more, since there is no recognition of local authorities from both intended parents as the father and the mother of the baby. Furthermore, latest news from the Spanish Government said that only would get the Spanish citizenship those babies born in a country with Court Order and birth certificate with intended parents as their parents.
In conclusion, only the United States and Canada are safe and legal options for intended parents, especially for single intended parents and same sex - couples.
For Germany a Court Order is needed to be recognized in Germany as legal parents.
In Spain the Government did discourage to go to certain countries, for example Ukraine and others more, since there is no recognition of local authorities from both intended parents as the father and the mother of the baby. Furthermore, latest news from the Spanish Government said that only would get the Spanish citizenship those babies born in a country with Court Order and birth certificate with intended parents as their parents.
In conclusion, only the United States and Canada are safe and legal options for intended parents, especially for single intended parents and same sex - couples.
Can I move forward with IVF if I am HIV positive?
Yes.
What is the difference between traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy?
Traditional surrogacy entails that the woman who carries the pregnancy is also contributing her own eggs which will be fertilized via artificial insemination.
Gestational surrogacy entails that the woman who carries the pregnancy is not genetically connected to the baby. This type of surrogacy is more commonly used. The agencies we work with provide gestational surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy entails that the woman who carries the pregnancy is not genetically connected to the baby. This type of surrogacy is more commonly used. The agencies we work with provide gestational surrogacy.
Is surrogacy legal in the United States and Canada?
In most U.S states and Canadian provinces surrogacy is legal for all family types.
What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?
Classical in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is the process of stimulating a female patient’s ovaries with medication so that several eggs grow. The eggs are then retrieved through the vaginal wall using an ultrasound-guided needle and brought together with the prepared sperm in a test tube. Spontaneous fertilization then takes place.
What is egg donation?
A female who cannot have children using her own eggs can obtain embryos created from a donor egg and the sperm of her partner or donor. The woman can then carry herself or have the embryo transferred to a surrogate. A homosexual couple or a single man can also utilize this process.
What egg donation options are there in the USA?
Egg donation in the USA: open or non-anonymous and closed or anonymous.
Open or non-anonymous: A small contract is made with the egg donor, stating that the future child, for example, can contact the egg donor. Contact details are exchanged between the intended parents and the egg donor, and the contract specifies how and when contact can be made.
Closed or anonymous: The above option is not available here. However, if the egg donor agrees, the intended parents can, for example, skype the egg donor and perhaps meet her in person. However, no contact details will be exchanged between the egg donor and the intended parents.
If you choose egg donation in the USA, it is very different from egg donation in Europe, because you get a full and complete profile. This can include the following points:
Open or non-anonymous: A small contract is made with the egg donor, stating that the future child, for example, can contact the egg donor. Contact details are exchanged between the intended parents and the egg donor, and the contract specifies how and when contact can be made.
Closed or anonymous: The above option is not available here. However, if the egg donor agrees, the intended parents can, for example, skype the egg donor and perhaps meet her in person. However, no contact details will be exchanged between the egg donor and the intended parents.
If you choose egg donation in the USA, it is very different from egg donation in Europe, because you get a full and complete profile. This can include the following points:
- Pictures: Often with child and adult pictures of the donor.
- Physical characteristics: height, weight, eye and hair color, etc.
- Health: all relevant data are listed, including genetic dispositions.
- Educational background: Education, grades, training/studies, playing an instrument, special talents, etc.
- Family history: parents and grandparents (here also physical characteristics, etc.) siblings (here also physical characteristics) Possible illnesses of parents, grandparents and siblings are also listed here.
- Fertility history: Does the donor already have children? Has she already donated and if so, with success?
- Some profiles even have a short video introducing the egg donor.
What is a surrogate?
A surrogate is a woman who is willing to carry a child for another person. There is generally no biological link between the surrogate and the embryos created. Surrogacy can be considered if a heterosexual couple wants to have children of their own but the intended mother is unable to carry the child herself. It is also an option for gay or single men and women.
What is Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)?
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is genetic testing performed to determine whether there are chromosomal abnormalities or specific genetic disorders in the embryo.
Can the sex of the embryos be determined?
PGD also determines the sex of the embryo. In the U.S, the intended parents can determine whether a female or male embryo should be transferred. In Canada, PGD can only be used to determine whether the embryo is healthy or not.
Can two embryos be transferred simultaneously with the goal of having twins?
In principle, yes, however many fertility doctors and surrogacy agencies lean away from a double embryo transfer. A twin pregnancy poses an increased health risk for the surrogate because of the physical strains and demands. Children are more likely to be born prematurely which can lead to further complications. One day spent in an incubator can easily cost $10,000 per child. The intended parents are responsible for these financial costs. Insurance coverage for the children must be taken out in advance and many companies refuse to cover a twin pregnancy. If the intended parents decide to still move forward with a twin pregnancy, details must be sorted out with the insurance company and recorded in the contract between the surrogate and Intended Parents.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a US surrogate?
At the beginning it should be noted that surrogacy in the USA is commercial. This means that a surrogate can and may receive a "wage" from the intended parents. This remuneration is also called compensation. The amount of this compensation depends, for example, on where the surrogate lives, whether she has been a surrogate before, etc. In other words, every surrogate can determine what she wants to charge, although there are guidelines here on what the surrogate can orientate themselves by. Furthermore, in the USA, there are so-called surrogacy agencies that arrange surrogates. These agencies are responsible for screening potential surrogates for very specific criteria: Does the potential surrogate already have children of her own, does she not use drugs, does she have a clean police record, is she aware about her expectations, etc. So the agencies "screen" these women very intensively before they can even be introduced to their intended parents. Furthermore, these agencies monitor the course of the entire pregnancy and also after the birth of the child/children; they are the contact persons for the intended parents and surrogates. For all these services, these agencies charge fees, which in turn can vary. The health care system in the USA is more expensive compared to many other countries, which also makes surrogacy in the USA more expensive.
Surrogacy is clearly regulated by law in the USA and all parties involved - surrogate and intended parents - are legally well prepared and protected. Surrogates, for example, cannot by law keep the children under any circumstances. In some states, a Court Order assigns parenthood to the intended parents even before the birth. Furthermore, all family models can carry out surrogacy in the USA, although there are differences in the various US states. A quick "matching" between a potential surrogate and intended parents is more common in the USA.
In short:
Advantages: All family models can perform surrogacy in the USA, legal security and quick "matching" are further features.
Disadvantage: High costs.
Surrogacy is clearly regulated by law in the USA and all parties involved - surrogate and intended parents - are legally well prepared and protected. Surrogates, for example, cannot by law keep the children under any circumstances. In some states, a Court Order assigns parenthood to the intended parents even before the birth. Furthermore, all family models can carry out surrogacy in the USA, although there are differences in the various US states. A quick "matching" between a potential surrogate and intended parents is more common in the USA.
In short:
Advantages: All family models can perform surrogacy in the USA, legal security and quick "matching" are further features.
Disadvantage: High costs.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Canadian surrogate?
In Canada, only so-called altruistic surrogacy is permitted by law. This means that a potential surrogate may not demand compensation from the intended parents. She is only entitled to compensation during pregnancy. She must therefore submit all the supporting documents to the intended parents and the Canadian authorities. In Canada, too, there are agencies that are structured and operate in a very similar way to their US counterparts. They see themselves as "consultants" or consulting agencies. The Canadian health care system is similar to that of many European countries. This means that there is statutory insurance cover, which surrogate must also have. This insurance coverage is also guaranteed during surrogacy, so that the intended parents themselves do not have to take out private insurance during pregnancy, which must be done in the USA.
In Canada, surrogacy is also clearly regulated in the various provinces. A Court Order certifies that the intended parents are the sole parents after the birth of the child. All family models are also permitted in Canada. Since surrogacy in Canada is organized in an altruistic way, the "matching" can take a long time.
In short:
Advantages: All family models can perform surrogacy in Canada, legal security and lower costs compared to the USA.
Disadvantage: Long waiting period until "matching" can take place, usually at least one year, although this may vary on a case-by-case basis.
In Canada, surrogacy is also clearly regulated in the various provinces. A Court Order certifies that the intended parents are the sole parents after the birth of the child. All family models are also permitted in Canada. Since surrogacy in Canada is organized in an altruistic way, the "matching" can take a long time.
In short:
Advantages: All family models can perform surrogacy in Canada, legal security and lower costs compared to the USA.
Disadvantage: Long waiting period until "matching" can take place, usually at least one year, although this may vary on a case-by-case basis.
Will my child receive dual citizenship?
If the surrogate is from the U.S or Canada, the child will receive citizenship in the given country. You can then apply for the passport of the child in your home country.
Difference between Pre and Post- Birth Order
In the U.S, some states provide a pre and post-birth order while others only offer a post-birth order. Canada only provides post-birth order. Post orders are required in order to obtain the baby’s birth certificate. In terms of legal guaranty, there is not much of a difference between the two orders as a pre-birth order is not effective until the birth takes place. Post birth orders usually take three to five days to process after the baby is born.
