Surrogate Sued for Over $100K After Refusing to Abort Baby With Rare Heart Condition

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Many families dream of having children or at least fostering or adopting. For one person, a surrogate in Alaska, however, the adoption process just got way more complicated.

McKenna West, a 28-year-old nurse from Alaska, has been condemned by California couple Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed for refusing to abort her baby that they were set to adopt. Suing the single mother they hired as a surrogate for over 100K because the child was diagnosed with a rare heart condition, the case has now escalated to court officials. The couple is asking the court for more than 100K for the alleged breach of the agreement.

West told the Christian Post that “the parents demanded she end the pregnancy after the child was diagnosed at 20 weeks with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped.” 

While West continued with the pregnancy, even traveling to Texas, where the State attorney general secured a court order stating that the child must receive “medically indicated stabilizing and life-sustaining care” after birth on Aug. 12, the child’s parents are now his legal custodians. To date, the child has undergone a complex heart procedure.

According to Gilkar and Ahmed, the agreement West signed included a clause that permitted them to opt to abort the child West was carrying. However, the couple states that they didn’t try to force West to have an abortion, though West initially agreed to have an abortion. Denying the statements, West said her top priority is instead to keep the baby safe.

“What matters most now is making sure he gets the life-saving care he will need in the coming months, care that the other side is currently fighting in court for their ability to withhold,” West told CNN. “My focus, therefore, remains on protecting his life.”

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/AdityaRomansa

Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.