Surrogate mother refusing to abort baby despite biological parents' request will become legal parent

A surrogate has refused to abort her unborn baby despite alleged instructions from the biological parents to do so.

McKenna West, an Alaskan nurse and single mother-of-two, is just two weeks away from her due date on 2 September.

While pregnant, the unborn baby boy Gabriel was diagnosed with a serious heart condition and biological parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed asked West to terminate the pregnancy, according to court filings.

Gabriel suffers from the severe but treatable heart condition hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

“HLHS occurs when the left side of the heart does not form correctly during pregnancy,” says the CDC.

“HLHS affects normal blood flow through the heart. A baby born with HLHS will need surgery soon after birth. HLHS is considered a critical congenital heart defect (critical CHD).”

‘It's not this hopeless diagnosis’

West, however, refused the alleged order from the Californian parents and has travelled to Texas, where she expects to be recognised as the child's birth mother under state law.

“I just didn't know what to do. I felt very trapped due to this contract and felt like I had no voice. But I knew in my soul, in my heart that I wanted to protect this little boy,” West told Megyn Kelly.

“It's not this hopeless diagnosis whatsoever. And that's part of why I want to fight so hard for this little guy… he absolutely can go on to live a full life and he deserves that opportunity.”

'We were all really upset'

"I was 20 weeks. [A.B. and C.D.] were on a FaceTime call after the ultrasound. The doctor came in and told us there was something really wrong with the baby's heart. There was no blood flow through the left side of the heart," she added to Live Action News.

"She said she wasn't qualified to give a diagnosis, and I needed to be referred to an MFM [maternal-fetal medicine doctor] for another ultrasound.

"So we were all really upset. It was completely unexpected. Everything had been going great. There had been no signs of anything being wrong. All genetic testing was normal."

West secures early legal win

A court has since granted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s petition, which urges doctors to give Gabriel ‘life-saving’ treatment when he is born.

“The order prevents anyone from withholding or obstructing necessary treatment or removing, discharging, or transferring the child while the court considers the case,” Paxton’s statement reads.

“The hospital and treating physicians must immediately notify the court and all involved parties of the child's birth, initial medical assessment, any refusal of consent to medically indicated treatment, and any request to discharge, transfer, or transport the child.”

Paxton added: "The court has made the right decision in immediately acting to protect baby Gabriel's life and ensure he receives the care he deserves.

"My office utilized every tool at our disposal to protect life, and we will not back down in continuing to support baby Gabriel's well-being.

“Every child in our state deserves to be cared for and protected, and that's exactly what I'll fight for."

LADbible Group has contacted Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed’s legal representative for comment.