In light of the new guidelines, and in order to address the uncertainty that arises, we have collected a number of up to date questions and answers.
Does Tammuz Family work as usual during a general lockdown?
In accordance with the new guidelines, the Tammuz staff will work from home during the week. However, the staff is active and available by phone, E-mail, 
WhatsApp and Skype. Meetings with intended parents will take place via Skype or in our office (at a two meters distance, of course) depending on your choice. You can send a mail directly to us info@tammuz.com. We obviously will continue to accompany the intended parents with updates on every stage of the process.
I intended to start the process in the near future. Should I postpone?
For now, there is no reason to postpone the beginning of the process, for in the first months of the surrogacy journey, preparations with the intended parents are made in Israel, without having to fly abroad. In addition, at this moment, we have not yet been informed about delays due to the Corona crisis of processes that take place abroad. Moreover, we want to remind that the first payment to Tammuz Family can be refunded in case you choose to cancel or postpone the process (provided medical or legal procedures have not yet been performed).
Do you expect any delay in finding a surrogate?
At this stage we do not expect significant delays in finding a surrogate and matching her with the intended parents, but of course, it is not possible to predict how the crisis will unfold and what will happen next.
Do surrogacy processes during pregnancy continue as they are?
Absolutely. The clinics in the various countries guide the surrogates on how to maintain maximum hygiene and cleanliness, and monitor suspected symptoms if present. We maintain ongoing contact with the health authorities in the relevant countries.
Is anything known about the effect of the Corona virus on pregnancy?
Prof. Yariv Yogev, Director of Lis Maternity and Women’s Hospital: “The information available in world literature is extremely limited, until today, there are reports of about 18 women who have fallen ill. In principal, due to changes in the immune system on the one hand, and the respiratory system on the other hand, it was expected that pregnant women would be more severely sick. And indeed, during the outbreak of a similar respiratory disease, as in the case of the H1N1 type influenza (“Pigs Flu”), mortality of pregnant women was higher compared to women of the same age who were not pregnant. But when comparing the incidence of the current Corona virus in terms of morbidity for pregnant women, according to existing reports, the morbidity of pregnant women does not appear to be more severe compared to women of the same age who are not pregnant (I want to emphasize that medical knowledge is limited due to the low number of pregnant women who were infected by Corona).” (From the Ichilov Hospital Facebook page)
Is anything known about the effect of the Corona virus on the fetus?
Prof. Yariv Yogev, Director of Lis Maternity and Women’s Hospital: “Of the cases reported in the literature, it seems that the virus does not pass through the placenta during pregnancy, nor was the virus found in the amniotic fluid. When breast milk was tested, no evidence of the presence of the virus was found, therefore breast feeding is possible.” (From the Ichilov Hospital Facebook page)
I will soon fly abroad to the upcoming birth. How should I prepare accordingly?
This depends on when the birth is expected. If their baby’s birth is expected in the next month, we advise the parents to move their flight up and to wait for the birth in the country of destination. If the birth is expected in May or later, our advice to the parents is to wait a few weeks prior to purchasing the ticket, and to stay updated as the situation develops. We wish all of us good health and calm days.
Stay safe!
Tammuz Family
