by FertilityMatchUser | Sep 27, 2018 | Fertility Canada, Surrogacy Canada, Surrogates
At Fertility Match, we’ve always believed that surrogacy is truly the journey of many and effects everyone it touches. The other day, one of our amazing Surrogate Mothers reached out to Lisa to share a beautiful moment.
“This. This is the magic of surrogacy.
Last night my daughter asked if she could snuggle me while we watched a movie after dinner. Of course I said yes! She was just laying there with me, delighted she could finally see and feel baby moving!
Her exact words: “mum this is special, a mom and dad wouldn’t have this baby unless you carried him in your belly. That would be sad because everyone should be able to have babies if they want them. Is this a miracle?”
Yes honey, it is! Women are strong and are capable of anything!
And then she fell asleep. What an incredible journey this is. A lesson in love that my daughter will not soon forget!”
Then, Surrogate S told us that her wonderful daughter tells baby good night every single night, until his Intended Parents are able to tell him themselves. Surrogacy is a beautiful journey not only for one family, but for many.
If you’re interested in experiencing the magic of surrogacy, please reach out to us today.
by FertilityMatchUser | Sep 13, 2018 | Egg Donors Canada, Fertility Canada
For Immediate Release – Ottawa, Ontario – Sept 13, 2018
Fertility Match Canada officially launches the most advanced and vetted Egg Donor Database in Canada.
Fertility Match Canada provides fully-customized fertility consulting services to those individuals and couples that are incapable of having children on their own. The company recruits Surrogate mothers and Egg Donors that meet stringent criteria for aspiring parents.
Fertility Match was founded in early 2017 by Liz Ellwood and Lisa Casselman on the premise that all parties involved deserve well-thought out, well-researched, and customized approach to navigating the fertility industry. With their new and innovative approaches over the last 18 months, Fertility Match Canada has become the fastest growing fertility consulting agency in Canada working with the top fertility centres in Canada.
In an effort to help Intended Parents around the country find suitable Egg Donors from a trusted, secure and reliable source, the company is announcing the official launch of the most sophisticated Egg Donor base in Canada: Egg Match.
By creating an account at Egg Match, Intended Parents can peruse the profiles of a highly vetted list of qualified, pre-screened and ready-to-donate Egg Donors from across Canada. The database has a minimum of 5 adult photos of each Donor, as well as access to a wide variety of information to help make a thoughtful and informed selection. With easy-to-use menus and searchable criteria, Intended Parents can make this important decision with the information at their fingertips. No names or contact information of the donors is ever shared. Although most Donors remain anonymous, they are all willing to meet the child someday in the future.
“I’ve been in the fertility industry for 15 years, and it has never been a better time for Intended Parents to find the perfect Egg Donor to build their family”, states Liz Ellwood, co-founder of Fertility Match and cancer survivor. “I only wish I had this type of sophisticated tool to help me when I was in their shoes. It would have saved so much time and heartache!”
With 15% of Canadian couples unable to conceive on their own, Fertility Match is filling a huge gap for those Canadians who want customized fertility consulting services with the added benefits of quality choices for donors.
Lisa Casselman is Ms. Ellwood’s business partner and 2-time Surrogate. “We invested a lot of time and money into our programs to help change how an agency supports aspiring families in Canada. We personally know how hard it is to turn to strangers for guidance, service and support, and we want to deliver the best there is to our clients. The database has been unofficially open since June and we’ve already had an overwhelming response.”
Currently the database has dozens of Egg Donors of varying ethnical backgrounds and personalities. “We have thoroughly screened hundreds of applicants this year and are only choosing the best donors, not just for their physical appearance, but for their hearts, minds and personalities,” continued Ms. Ellwood. “Now all we need is for our government to implement a regulation system that ensures all agencies across Canada are held accountable and meeting the highest of standards”.
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Media Contact:
Liz Ellwood, Co-Founder, Fertility Match Canada
liz@fertilitymatch.ca
613-700-4141
by FertilityMatchUser | Aug 30, 2018 | Fertility Canada, Surrogacy Canada, Surrogates
We know Surrogacy can be confusing to women who are in the early stages of considering this life changing gift. We get so many similar questions, so we thought we would answer them in a blog post! If you have any other questions, feel free to get in touch with us. We’d be happy to speak to you about Surrogacy.
Will the child be genetically related to me?
No, the child will not be genetically related to you. At Fertility Match, we only work with Gestational Surrogates. In Gestational Surrogacy, 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. The Gestational Surrogate then undergoes the embryo transfer.
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 IP’s that are on board with your care and birth plan. We have you fill out a Surrogate application and learn about your preferences, so that we can select IP’s that would best support you in the pregnancy.
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. Because we want the best for you as the Surrogate and the IP’s baby, we need to see a history of a healthy pregnancy.
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. Before the embryo transfer, you would be reimbursed for your travel expenses. The amounts may vary, depending on different pregnancy factors (twins, C-section, and any complications that may arise).
Will I see the children after the birth?
The IPs 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. It is up to you and the IPs to discuss what you feel comfortable with as contact after the birth. We also ask this question before matching you with IPs, so that the couple you are matched with has a similar expectation of contact 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.
Do I get to choose the Intended Parents I carry for?
Absolutely. You can choose to work with a same sex couple, heterosexual couple, or a single man or woman. We have Intended Parents who require a Surrogate for different reasons, such as cancer survivors and those with infertility. We leave it up to you who you would like to work with.
Considering Surrogacy? Do you have any other questions? Click here to contact us and one of our Fertility Consultants would be happy to speak with you.
by FertilityMatchUser | Aug 10, 2018 | Egg Donors Canada, Fertility Canada
It’s a question we do get asked often: should I tell my child they were conceived with a donor egg? The short answer: yes. At Fertility Match, we strongly believe that you should always tell your child that they were conceived through egg donation. There are so many reasons – medical, ethical, logical, and practical – that you should tell your child the truth. We’ll cover a few in this post, but one of our Fertility Consultants is always available to chat in depth.
Honestly, one of the biggest reasons to tell your child about the realities of their conceptions is really simple: it’s inevitably going to come out anyways. With services like ancestry.ca and 23andMe, more and more people are releasing their DNA information to the world and finding genetic relatives they never knew – or were never told – they had. In the past, it was possible to keep adoptions and family histories secret enough that no one would ask questions, but with technology today that just isn’t realistic.
Not only do these services now exist, sometimes there are activities in school that might address your child’s familial history. Many high school and university biology classes now discuss genetic inheritance. Your child realizing in the middle of class that their genetics don’t make sense with yours because of their eye or hair colour or even blood type would be the worst possible way to start this conversation.
Medically speaking, telling your child about the realities of their conception (in an age appropriate way, of course – more on that in a future post) is incredibly important. When your child grows up, they may experience things you haven’t because of their genetics are different from yours. This could be something as simple as needing glasses or braces, but no matter what it’s best that your child knows the realities of their medical history so that they can get the best possible medical care throughout the course of their life.
Psychologically, it’s best for your child to know about all of this early on – otherwise, they could be dealing with feelings of betrayal because they were not told the truth, even though you had only the best of intentions, as all parents do.
At Fertility Match, we know that you have the best intentions, hopes, and dreams for your child and your family. We understand that these are hard conversations to have, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. That’s why we encourage all of our Intended Parents to come to us with their concerns and questions about this subject. We are here to talk about these things with you!
If you’re thinking about egg donation to build your family, please contact us today to talk to one of our Fertility Consultants.
by FertilityMatchUser | Jul 16, 2018 | Egg Donors Canada, Fertility Canada
Fertility Match Canada wants to change what people should expect from an Egg Donation and Surrogacy Agency in Canada. We pride ourselves on bringing a new standard of care to all of our clients – and our Egg Donor Program is no exception to this. We offer a unique, compassionate, personal approach to the journey of egg donation that allows us to make the experience a positive one for you and the Intended Parents who select you as their Donor.
It is our responsibility as an Agency to to ensure the Egg Donors in our program are supported through every step of this journey. One of the first things we tell Donors we accept into our program is that they’re now part of the Fertility Match family and we are here for them through every stage of the process.
Fertility Match Egg Donors are incredible, kind, intelligent young women who want to help someone build their family and happiness. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience; we hear great things from all of our Donors about their donations.
Here’s what our Donors have to say about the Fertility Match difference:
“I was scared to be left alone on this journey, but Liz was always just a phone call away, and just like my own mother she checked on me before and after my appointments. I couldn’t have asked for more from her.”
“My egg donation journey has been amazing. Every minor and major issue was dealt with, and it was made sure that there was no discomfort experienced by me.”
“I would recommend Fertility Match to all my friends interested in being Egg Donors. There is no other place that could make you feel good about yourself and appreciate what you are doing. I even asked my own sister to be an Egg Donor for Fertility Match.”
Is egg donation with Fertility Match right for you? Contact us today to find out – there are no obligations or costs to speak with one of our consultants.
by FertilityMatchUser | Aug 22, 2017 | Egg Donors Canada, Fertility Canada
Ten Steps to Donating Eggs in Canada
Ready to donate your eggs but not sure what to expect? At Fertility Match, we help demystify the process for Donating Eggs in Canada with our 3 part series on the egg donation process. First, let’s take a look at what Egg Donors should expect overall from beginning to end.
1. Initial Assessment: After contacting us at info@fertilitymatch.ca an initial assessment will then be conducted by a Fertility Match Program Coordinator. This could take place in person or over the phone. This initial assessment for is to ensure that you are the right fit for the program
2. Online Application: An online application will then be sent to you if the initial assessment is successful.
3. Overview Call: Following a successful application, we will schedule an overview call. During this call, the process for Donating Eggs in Canada will be covered in further detail and any issues or questions will be addressed.
4. Match with Intended Parent(s): At this point your profile will be created and you will be matched with a waiting Intended Parent.
5. Psychosocial Evaluation: The Psychosocial evaluation is the next step in the process for Donating Eggs in Canada. This can be done over the phone.
6. Physician Appointment: You will meet with a Physician once you have been matched. They will explain the medical protocol, do a physical exam and blood tests.
7. Independent Legal Representation: Independent legal representation will then be provided for you to go over all the points in the contract and to ensure that you feel knowledgeable and comfortable moving forward. The Intended Parent will pay all legal fees incurred by their Egg Donor.
8. Donor Cycle: The donor cycle usually then begins after your next menstrual period. Approximately 21 days after your period you will start a series of medications, which you will take until just before the egg retrieval. While taking these medications you will visit a fertility center to monitor your progress and to ensure that your ovaries are responding to the medication. These appointments may take place daily or every other day for a short period of time and the appointments do not last long.
9. Egg Retrieval: You are then ready for Egg Retrieval. The Egg Retrieval appointment is usually 3 hours in length, as it requires twilight sedation. This does not result in the person becoming unconscious but will sedate them so you should ensure you have a safe way home. The physician then uses a vaginal ultrasound probe to guide a small needle through the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries and retrieve the mature eggs.
10. Post Procedure: Following the procedure you may experience some fatigue or cramping and so should plan to spend the remainder of the day at home. The following day you should be able to resume light to normal activities but should refrain from any strenuous physical activity until the physician gives you clearance.
If you have any questions about Donating Eggs in Canada or are interested in becoming an Egg Donor and want to help couples seeking to make their dreams of a family a reality please contact us at info@fertilitymatch.ca or through our contact form. Be sure to like us on Facebook and check back for the next two parts in our Egg Donation in Canada series.
