Beginnings Family Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a Question to Expand the Answer
BFS was incorporated in 1984 and opened its doors in 1985.
The BFS office is located at:
1 Young Street
Suite 520
Hamilton, Ontario
L8N 1T8
Email: info@beginnings.ca
Phone: 1 905 528 6665
Toll Free: 1 877 528 6665
Fax: 1 905 528 6589
Yes, Beginnings is a non-profit agency, with registered charitable status (CCRA Charitable Reg. No. 11880 2388 RR0001)
Yes, BFS directly issue tax receipts to donors from head office.
Yes, BFS finances are subject to complete annual audits.
BFS has placed over 470 children with adoptive families since establishment.
On average BFS places 20-25 children with adoptive families each year.
There are an estimated 80 prospective adoptive individuals/couples on the BFS Infant Adoption Waiting List at any given time.
The first embryo donation baby was born in 2013. Since then, more than 160 donors have participated in the program and over 75 babies have been born since 2013. 2023 was our busiest year with 18 babies born!
The number can vary from year to year but it is currently about 10 a year.
The number can vary from year to year but there are about 10 on the list at any given time.
Yes, BFS does charge fees for services provided consistent with the organization’s not-for-profit status.
BFS has an Adoption Reserve Fund for special circumstances that couples can apply to. This is considered on a case by case basis and couples are usually only eligible when adoption costs go above the approximate $22,000 – $25,000 average. There is no financial support available to embryo donation clients at this time.
Yes. Beginnings is licensed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to provide adoption services in Ontario.
IVF is a clinical procedure whereby fertilization is accomplished outside a woman’s body, and involves three basic steps:
- Fertility drugs are used to stimulate the female’s egg production by the female’s ovaries
- Eggs are retrieved from the female partner and mixed with sperm from the male partner
- Fertilized eggs (embryos) are mixed with the sperm and transferred to the uterus. Depending on the number of embryos produced, some may be frozen for later use.
An embryo is a human organism during the first 56 days of its development following fertilization, excluding any time in which its development has been suspended.
Each year thousands of surplus embryos are created by individuals/couples pursuing IVF treatments across Canada. Currently in Canada, individuals/couples seeking to deal with these extra embryos have limited options that include:
- Indefinite storage of the embryos
- Destruction of the embryos
- Donation of the embryos for medical research
- Donation of the embryos to another couple
Embryo donation involved the transfer of a human embryo from an individual or family that has completed their own IVF journey (the donor(s)) to an individual or family that is hoping have a child (the recipient(s)/intended parent(s)).
Unlike embryo donation, neither egg nor sperm (gamete) donation procedures result in the birth of a child. Embryos are established entities which, given “appropriate conditions”, can lead to the birth of a child. According to Canadian law, embryos represent more than sperm and egg (gamete) but less than a living child because “appropriate conditions” are still required.
Embryo donation is not surrogacy. In a surrogacy arrangement, an agreement is made for a person with a uterus to carry a pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. The surrogate may or may not have any genetic link to the child they are carrying but is considered the birth parent when a child is born. With embryo donation, the donor(s) relinquish all rights to the embryo and resulting child after the legal agreement has been signed. With embryo donation, a recipient carries the embryo to term and becomes the delivered child’s birth parent.
Embryo donation differs from infant adoption because:
- Donation relates to the medical and legal transfer of tissue between patients.
- Embryo donation involves a medical procedure to transfer genetic tissue (the embryo) created by 2 parties (the donors and/or the gamete providers used by the donors) to a recipient. If successful, a child is born to the recipient. Since the recipient gives birth to the child, they are considered the birth and legal parent of the child.
- Adoption is a process that involves the legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from the birth parent(s) to the adopting individual or couple. Consent for adoption cannot be given until after the birth of the child.
- Canadian law accords a lesser legal status to embryos than that of children. Accordingly, the term “donation” is used for the sake of clarity.
Yes. If a pregnancy is achieved using one of the donated embryos and others still remain, they can be used at a later date in pursuit of future pregnancies.
The decision to donate embryos is typically made after individuals or individuals/couples have completed their own families and have surplus embryos remaining from their IVF treatment and not at the start of treatment. As part of our counselling services, Beginnings can assist individuals or individuals/couples making decisions about IVF treatment and any surplus embryos created and stored.
If the remaining partner has the sole right to make decisions, and/or has a legal consent signed by the deceased partner, for the stored embryos and can provide the required medical history, then it may be possible to donate these embryos to recipients. It means there will only be one donor parent involved in the open relationship with the recipient couple.
When a baby is born from donated embryos he or she is considered to have full legal rights and protections under the law.
The embryo has no legal status under Canadian law.
Under the Federal Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHRA) (2004), it is illegal to make any payments for embryos.
At the Provincial/Territorial level, there may be some laws that address the legal status, rights and responsibilities of the parties involved in embryo donation.
All participating parties are required to have legal consultation and agreements. Beginnings will make a referral for a legal consultation for embryo donors and recipients as part of our process.
Yes. Under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act, the donors may withdraw their consent in writing up until the time of the thawing of the embryos.
- Initial contact via website, email or phone call
- Consultation with Beginnings staff
- Donors must have at least two embryos to donate
- Completion of registration forms and Service Agreement
- Complete an Assessment including full medical and social history
- Provide a lab report on the embryos
- Confirmation of testing for any infectious diseases or known genetic disorders from the donor’s clinic
- Provide a family photograph and information on donor’s children
- Review recipient profiles and select a family
- Meeting and/or phone call with recipient(s) arranged with full information disclosure
- Participate in an Openness Agreement with the recipient(s) regarding ongoing contact
- Notification of the fertility clinic where embryos are stored
- Completion of legal agreement for embryo release
- Donor responsibility for embryos ceases
- Donors are informed of outcomes and ongoing contact maintained
Open embryo donation involves ongoing communication and contact between the donor parent(s) and the recipient(s), including the children from both families. This can take the form of letters, emails, phone calls, and/or visits. The amount of contact is negotiated between the parties and varies from one situation to another. Beginnings believes openness is beneficial for a child as it allows them to maintain relationships with important people in their life; as they grow older. Openness allows access to information about the child’s genetic origins and background and to any other siblings they may have.
No. Beginnings provides only open embryo donation services in the belief that this is in the best interest of the child(ren) created by embryo donation to have a relationship with their donor family members, although there is a range of ongoing contract arrangements they can mutually agree to. It is possible that the donors may have used anonymous egg and/or sperm but there can be relationships between genetic siblings.
The matching process is a mutual selection process. Donors will provide detailed information about the qualities, characteristics and circumstances of the recipients requested. Non-identifying background information about the donors will be shared with the recipients. Ideally, donors will have several profiles to choose from. Donors may consider various factors, such as age, length of relationship, existing children, income, work, childcare plans, religion, race, culture, ethnicity, interests, health, and degree of contact desired. The donors and recipients have the opportunity to meet via Zoom alongside Beginnings staff. It is important to note that ultimately it is donors who choose recipients.
It is important to be fully informed about the issues a child will encounter and the implications for each of the involved parties and their extended families. It also provided reassurance to the donors that recipients are healthy, have a stable relationship, are able to provide a safe, nurturing, environment, and are well prepared for ongoing contact.
It is an information gathering and education process by Beginnings to determine an understanding and readiness to parent a child conceived by embryo donation. If the recipients have already completed an adoption Home Study assessment, this can be used towards the recipient assessment requirements. The assessment may take several weeks and includes:
- Documentation: application form, medicals, police checks, child welfare records checks, references and the completion of a questionnaires.
- Education: Discussion will include motivation, risks and implications involved with the procedure, disclosure to your child and others, and how to manage an open relationship with the donor family.
- Interviews: There will typically be 1 or 2 interviews.
This depends on the availability of embryos and if/when you are chosen by donors. There is no guarantee that a pregnancy and live birth will result from the donation of embryos.
Only if you come to Beginnings with a donor/ recipient connection already made. Beginnings would proceed with the education, counselling and support services.
Individuals/couples who have undergone IVF treatment may generate embryos surplus to their requirements. These patients may seek alternatives to the current options of indefinite storage, destruction, or contribution of surplus embryos to medical research. Beginnings Embryo Donor/Recipient Program offers an alternative to the anonymous donation model and the chance for future contact with the chosen recipients.
Beginnings facilitates embryo donation by working with individuals or individuals/couples of any ethnic origin, religion and/or walk of life who wish to donate surplus embryos produced through IVF.
Beginnings is a national family services provider and therefore facilitates embryo donation by working with donors and recipients anywhere in Canada.
Individuals or couples who have failed to conceive through IUI/IVF or those for whom treatment was not medically possible or genetically advisable. There are many infertility diagnoses (such as premature menopause, poor egg quality, sterility as a result of cancer treatment, polycystic ovarian syndrome, azoospermia, genetic translocations, etc) where carrying a child to term via donated embryos is a viable alternative.
Beginnings works with individuals and couples of any ethnic origin, religion and/or walk of life who wish to receive surplus embryos produced through IVF.
Yes. Beginnings is guided by human rights legislation. The embryo donors are the ones who select the recipients.
Yes. In most cases, recipients of donated embryos are those who are unable to have a child through either natural conception or through fertility treatments, or who are carriers of genetic disorders advised not to conceive. However, Beginnings works with individuals/couples who do not have a fertility diagnosis. It is the donors that select who will receive their embryos. While some may have a preference for an individual/couple that have experienced infertility, others may be open to individuals/couples who are choosing embryo donation.
- Donated embryos may not survive the thawing or transfer process
- Pregnancy and childbirth are not guaranteed
- Risk of higher multiples if more than a single embryo is transferred
- Medical risks involved with pregnancy and childbirth
There are no costs to the embryo donors.
The average cost for Embryo Recipients through Beginnings is between $12,000-$15,000. Costs may exceed this amount depending on the complexity of the case. Most of the cost is incurred once recipients have been chosen by a donor. Costs will be for the following services:
- Consultation
- Registration
- Implications Counselling/ Psychosocial Assessment
- Agency administrative and coordination fees
- Fertility Clinic fees (outside cost)
- Legal Consultation (outside cost)
- Shipping of embryos (when necessary)
Not at this time.
Yes. Although Beginnings prefers to work with non-anonymous donors, we are able to work with donors who have used anonymous or identity release gamete donors, where there are no restrictions on doing so. If you have utilized donated sperm and/or eggs, we encourage you to review your donor contracts to ensure that you have the legal right to donate your remaining embryos to a recipient.
- Initial contact via website, email or phone call
- Completion of registration forms and Service Agreement
- Consultation with Beginnings’ staff
- Complete Implications Counselling and a Psychosocial Assessment including full medical and social history and supporting documents
- Provide medical documentation that the recipient is medically in good health and capable of carrying a baby to term and agree that the recipient will carry the baby
- Prepare a profile with photos to share with potential donors to assist in the matching process
- Accept that the choice of family is up to the embryo donors and not up to Beginnings
- After matching, meeting and/or phone call with donor(s) arranged with full information disclosure
- Attend chosen fertility clinic to get medical go ahead from the fertility doctor
- The embryo transfer can take place at a fertility clinic chosen by the recipient(s) providing the clinic will accept embryos created at a different clinic. The embryos may need to be shipped to the recipient’s clinic
- Pay fees due to Beginnings Family Services
- Participate in an Openness Agreement with the donor family in respect to sharing identifying information, as well as ongoing contact
- Completion of legal documentation for embryo release
- Recipient(s) attend fertility clinic, comply with regulations, and receive embryo transfer procedure
- Provide pregnancy outcome information to Beginnings and to donors
- Maintain contact with donors
- Respect the donor’s wishes for the use of surplus embryos
Yes. Beginnings can work with embryo donors in any province or territory across Canada.
No. Beginnings works with embryo donors and recipients solely residing in Canada but if a Canadian donor has used an out of country fertility clinic, the embryos could be brought to Canada.
Yes. Beginnings is licensed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to provide adoption services in Ontario.
Beginnings offers information to all persons interested in private adoption, provides placements and foster care homes for children from newborns up to 12 months of age.
Beginnings offers adoptive parents an orientation session and a consultation with the Executive Director to determine the “best fit”, profile review, maintenance on Beginnings Active List, matching services, facilitation of meetings between birth and adoptive families, collaboration with the adoptive couple’s private adoption practitioner, provision of travel letters and OHIP cards, commissioning of documents and court finalization documentation. Covenant agreements are arranged between birth and adoptive families and are facilitated by Beginnings, and Entrustment Ceremonies are available at the time of placement. Follow up support is ongoing for adoptive parents and children adopted through Beginnings throughout their life time.
Beginnings offers birth parents the opportunity for open adoption education, comprehensive, ongoing counselling support, choice of adoptive families, viewing profiles, meetings with adoptive individuals/couples, sharing of identifying information and background information about the adoptive couple, hospital support, referral and transportation for independent legal advice and consent signing. Covenant agreements are arranged between birth and adoptive families and facilitated by Beginnings. Birth parents have the opportunity to take part in an Entrustment Ceremony at the time of placement. Follow up support is ongoing for birth parents and their immediate family members throughout their life time.
Private adoption offers an alternative to parenting, when expectant parents are not able or prepared. It also offers an alternative to child welfare intervention. An open adoption empowers birth parents to choose their child’s family and stay connected.
Beginnings does not provide matching services for out of province adoptive families. However, if a birth parent outside of Ontario has made a connection with adoptive parents in Ontario, we can explore each individual situation to see if we can provide assistance.
No. We only provide domestic adoption services. If birth parents are willing and able to travel to Ontario and be responsible for all medical costs, living costs etc., then it may be possible to place a child with a couple through Beginnings.
No.
A child has full legal status and rights of protection under the law at the time of birth.
Every province and territory has their own adoption legislation. Beginnings works within all provincial and territorial laws.
Beginnings encourages the involvement of birth fathers. Our counsellors will provide information and support throughout this process. In situations where birth mothers do not wish to contact the birth father themselves, Beginnings counselors can contact them and mediate the planning. It is important to have as much background information as possible for the sake of the child.
In Ontario, birth parents have 21 days to withdraw their consent after they have signed with a lawyer. After this 21 day waiting period, both birth mother and birth father lose the right to withdraw their consents.
See section on Infant Adoption – Step By Step.
Open adoption involves ongoing communication and contact between the birth parent (s) and the adoptive parents including the child. This can take the form of letters, emails, text messages, phone calls, and/ or visits. The amount of contact is negotiated between the parties and varies from one situation to another. Beginnings believes openness is good for a child as it allows him or her to maintain relationships with important people in his or her life; as he or she grows older, openness allows access to information about his or her origins and background and to any other siblings he or she may have.
Birth parents provide important details about their medical history, family background, present health, interests, physical traits and characteristics in order that an adopted child will have information about him/ herself. Health history and information can direct adoptive parents to provide resources and the best care plan for the child as he/ she grows up.
In rare circumstances involving safety of the child or where a birth parent refuses openness. Otherwise, Beginnings provides fully identified adoption services with a range of ongoing contact.
Couples who are hoping to adopt through Beginnings need to:
- Be residents of Ontario
- Attend a PRIDE training course
- Complete a Home Study including references, police and child welfare checks
- Provide a range of acceptance for the kind of adoption situation
- Accept that it is the birth parents who choose the parents of their child
- Agree to participate in a Covenant contact agreement with birth parents in respect to sharing identifying information as well as on going contact
- Attend an orientation session and have a consultation with Beginnings Executive Director
- Provide a profile for review by birth parents
- Agree to meet with birth parents, extended family members and siblings
- Know that the child is under the legal guardianship of Beginnings until the adoption is finalized in court and maintain contact with Beginnings during this supervisory period following placement
It is an agreement outlining the specific contact arrangements between birth parents and the adoptive couple. The word Covenant means “promise” and implies a commitment on both sides to carry through with the arrangements they are making – for the sake of the child. These agreements are not legally binding, but are considered by Beginnings to be a binding promise to stay in touch.
Yes. Beginnings staff is available to offer on going counselling and mediation services for reviewing and resolving contact arrangements.
Yes. Beginnings adoptive individuals/couples and birth parents can be involved in many activities with the agency following the finalization of the adoption. Everyone is considered a member of Beginnings Family Services and are offered follow up services:
• Birth parent counsellors are available to meet with birth parents
• Adoption Staff is available to meet with adoptive individuals/couples and adoptees
• Birth parents and adoptive individuals/couples may participate in education panels
This is a ceremony that happens at the time a child is placed in the care of an adoptive couple by the birth parent(s). It is an acknowledgment of moving a child from one family to another and honours the role of birth parents in the lives of their children. Each ceremony is unique and reflects what is important to the people attending. Often there is chosen music, a poem or reading, and candle lighting to join the families in their Covenant agreement. Beginnings’ Covenant and Entrustment Ceremony form a foundation for the new relationships created through adoption.
The process involves the following steps:
- After adoptive parents have attended the Beginnings orientation and consultation appointment, they will provide a hard copy profile to Beginnings.
- Birth parents describe the type of adoptive applicant they would consider.
- Beginnings Executive Director will contact active list members who are have similar characteristics the birth parents are looking for and provide specific risk information for their consideration.
- If the prospective adoptive applicant agrees to be presented, their profile will be included in the presentation to the birth parents.
- If chosen, the full background information will be shared with the prospective adoptive applicants.
- The prospective adoptive couple’s private adoption practitioner will be contacted and information will be sent to them for review with the adoptive couple prior to a first meeting.
- First meeting will be held with birth parents and any extended family members they wish to include, the birth parent counsellor, Executive Director, the adoptive couple, and their private adoption practitioner.
- Once everyone agrees to move forward, this is considered a match.
A Home Study is completed by a private Adoption Practitioner and is an in-depth assessment of your family and may take several months to complete. It is an important tool to assess the readiness and suitability of the adoptive applicant to adopt. There is an education component as well to help individuals/couples understand adoption from the child’s perspective. Visit www.children.gov.on.ca for more information.
There is no single answer to this question. Birth parents choose the adoptive parents by looking at their profiles and hearing about them through the information contained in their Home Study(s). It can happen quickly if there is the right match, or, it may take some time for this to happen. There is no guarantee that a match will be made through Beginnings. Beginnings staff and the Adoption Practitioner will work with each adoptive couple to help them through the process. Beginnings also works closely with other private adoption agencies and Children’s Aid Societies when they hear about a match that could work for one of our adoptive individuals/couples.
There are many reasons why people wish to adopt. Some applicants who are unable to conceive a child or carry a child to term may consider adoption as a way to create their family. Others may have genetic diagnoses that preclude having children, or they may be cancer survivors who cannot have a biological child. Some individuals/couples see this as a way to augment their family following secondary infertility, or they see adoption as a way to expand their family.
Beginnings works with clients from all races, cultures, faiths and walks of life.
Beginnings is guided by the expressed wishes of birth parents in terms of choosing adoptive parents.
Beginnings is guided by the expressed wishes of birth parents in terms of choosing adoptive parents.
Yes. It is the birth parents who choose their adoptive couple. However, it must be pointed out that older adoptive applicants will find it more difficult to be chosen by young birth parents.
The most difficult risk is that birth parents will reverse their decision to place their child for adoption and withdraw consent. In Ontario, they have all rights to do this until 21 days are completed following the signing of consents. There is also a risk when the birth father has not signed consents up until the time the adoption is finalized.
There are no costs for birth parents.
The average cost of an adoption through Beginnings is $22,000 to $25,000. Costs may exceed this amount depending on the complexity of the case.
Your first step is to complete a Home Study through a Private Adoption Practitioner and to attend PRIDE Training (the fees for these services are not paid to Beginnings).
Beginnings initial costs are as follows:
- Registration $200
- Orientation $350
- Consultation $250
- Active List $300
For more information please contact Beginnings.
Adoptions usually cost at least $22,000 – $25,000. When a match is made you have to be prepared to provide Beginnings with the retainer fee of $15,000, before the proposal can go to the Ministry for approval. Beginnings does have an Adoption Reserve Fund for special circumstances (when an adoption has gone above the approximate $22,000 – $25,000 usual cost). For example, in case of twins, a complicated case that required a longer foster care stay, a case involving higher than usual legal costs etc.
Beginnings recognizes that individuals, individuals/couples, and families need help along life’s way. There are many decisions to make about family planning and relationships. Our highly qualified professional staff have expertise in specific areas of pregnancy counselling and pregnancy support, adoption, post adoption counselling and embryo donation.
There are no costs.
Counsellors will come to meet birth parents in their community. If they live beyond a reasonable driving distance, Beginnings will arrange for a counsellor in the client’s community.
The same counselling options are available to men who are considered or named as birth fathers.
Yes, sometimes foster homes are needed. It may be that parents are not sure about their decision to parent or make an adoption plan. The child can stay with one of Beginnings approved foster parents for a short term stay (up to 30 days) until a decision is made.
Yes. Arrangements are made with the foster parents to visit regularly. Extended family members can also visit.
Yes. Foster care parents are approved annually through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. They are also offered educational training each year.
Yes. Beginnings considers children placed through the agency as part of Beginnings family. There are several developmental ages and stages where a child’s understanding of adoption sparks questions or a need to know more. Beginnings counsellors will be there to help with these transitional times. Adolescents in particular may have added adoption related identity or separation issues that could benefit from meeting with a counsellor who understands adoption over the life time.
Yes. Birth parents will have the opportunity to continue meeting with their counsellor up to 6 months after placement of their child. Further follow up will be arranged as needed. Counsellors are also available to assist birth parents throughout the first year for with ongoing open contact arrangements.
Most Beginnings birth parents develop a relationship with their counsellor and keep in contact over the years via email, calls and occasional meeting.
Yes. A counsellor can connect a new birth mom with a birth parent who has placed her child for adoption. Peer connections can take the form of face to face or email.
In most cases yes, but it up to the birth parents how much they want to have their parents involved in the lives of their adopted child. The adoptive families are usually eager to have ongoing contact with all members of the birth parents families. The Covenant Agreement can include extended family members in the contact arrangements.
It is an agreement outlining the specific contact arrangements between birth parents and the adoptive couple. The word Covenant means “promise” and implies a commitment on both sides to carry through with the arrangements they are making – for the sake of the child. These agreements are not legally binding, but are considered by Beginnings to be a binding promise to stay in touch.
This is a ceremony that happens at the time a child is placed in the care of an adoptive couple by the birth parent(s). It is an acknowledgment of moving a child from one family to another and honours the role of birth parents in the lives of their children. Each ceremony is unique and reflects what is important to the people attending. Often there is chosen music, a poem or reading, and candle lighting to join the families in their Covenant agreement. Beginnings’ Covenant and Entrustment Ceremony form a foundation for the new relationships created through adoption.
Beginnings can provide information on the definition of a legal parent, and will speak to fathers about their options and rights. If they agree to sign consents for adoption, all forms and papers will be reviewed with him prior to signing. At the time of signing consents for adoption, an appointment will be made with a lawyer familiar with private adoption who will offer independent legal advice and be available for any questions your son may have.
Yes. Beginnings is licensed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to provide adoption services in Ontario.
Open adoption involves ongoing communication and contact between the birth parent (s) and the adoptive parents including the child. This can take the form of letters, emails, text messages, phone calls, and/ or visits. The amount of contact is negotiated between the parties and varies from one situation to another. Beginnings believes openness is good for a child as it allows him or her to maintain relationships with important people in his or her life; as he or she grows older, openness allows access to information about his or her origins and background and to any other siblings he or she may have.
Providing additional resources to support health and well-being is important. Establishing community connections is a vital part of supporting our clients in building a strong support system. We work together with our clients to connect them with additional community resources including medical services, public health resources, mental health services, family support programs, and financial services. We are grateful for the many partnerships we have with hospitals, local public health services, and child service agencies.
Beginnings views education as the cornerstone for building strong families. Since many of the families who come to Beginnings are created through adoption, embryo donation and single parenting, there is a need to provide support and education to families who have special needs. It is one thing to adopt, donate or receive embryos, or parent on your own, but all parties need to find ways to help their children growing up in unique situations. Beginnings programs offer insight and understanding in how to meet their childrens’needs.
We offer the following programs:
- Parenting and family support programs
- Prenatal support
- Life skills
- Baby Smarts – Healthy Relationship Program
Birth parents and embryo donor parents can attend all programs at no cost to themselves. Adoptive parents and embryo recipients can attend for a fee for service.
Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) is a comprehensive 27 hour training program that is now recognized as essential preparation for all prospective adoptive and foster parents. It is mandatory in the province of Ontario. It is completed in tandem with the Home Study process before adoptive applicants can adopt. It is offered at various times and locations in Ontario.
Glossary of Terms
Openness: Identifying information is shared between donors and recipients for the sake of the child and for the purpose of providing a life long connection between the 2 families.
Couple: For all intents and purposes, the word “couple” is used throughout for simplicity, but we recognize that “couple” is not defined by a married male and female partner. It does not exclude single parents as either donor or recipients.
Surrogacy: A woman who carries a child for another woman using her own eggs and donated sperm
Gestational carrier: A woman who carries a child for another woman using donated egg and sperm
IVF: In Vitro Fertilization is a clinical procedure whereby fertilization is accomplished outside a woman’s body, and involves three basic step: fertility drugs are used to stimulate the female’s egg production by the female’s ovaries; eggs are retrieved from the female partner and mixed with sperm from the male partner; fertilized eggs (embryos) are mixed with the sperm and transferred to the uterus. Depending on the number of embryos produced, some may be frozen for later use.
Openness Agreement: Agreement between donors and recipients about the terms of contact between themselves and the child. Beginnings agreements are based on the best interests of the child and outline the degree of openness mutually agreed upon. They are not legally binding, but they are created and followed in “good faith”.