The biological parents of a baby born via surrogate in Texas have issued a statement following the birth of their son, whom they initially wanted to abort due to a heart defect. Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, through their attorneys, described the situation as influenced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The surrogate mother, McKenna West, alleges that the couple pressured her to terminate the pregnancy after the diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a condition where the left side of the heart does not develop properly. Surgical intervention is required, with a reported 72% survival rate to age five.
Gilkar and Ahmed's attorney confirmed that the baby was born in Texas and is currently receiving medical care. The attorney stated that attempts by West to intervene in the child's medical care have been rejected by the courts. A Dallas judge ordered that the child receive life-saving treatment and granted a temporary restraining order against West, preventing her from making medical decisions for the child.
West's attorney noted that she had a positive relationship with the couple until they attempted to persuade her to have an abortion. In court documents, Gilkar and Ahmed's lawyers countered the allegations, stating that West initially agreed to the abortion but later changed her mind. They claimed that West's relocation to Texas, contrary to their wishes for the baby to be born in California, complicates the child's medical care.
A California court has ruled that Gilkar and Ahmed are the legal parents of the baby, while West's attorney argues that she should have custody rights as the birth mother. A hearing is scheduled for August 25.