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Texas Court Mandates Lifesaving Care for Fetus Carried by Surrogate
Just the facts
Surrogate McKenna West, originally from Alaska, relocated to Dallas County after being asked by intended parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed of California to terminate her pregnancy at 20 weeks. Diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the fetus, named Gabriel, requires three corrective surgeries beginning within two weeks of birth to survive. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an emergency court intervention to block the intended parents from moving the child out of state or withholding medical treatment. Presiding judicial authorities issued a restraining order holding Gilkar and Ahmed financially responsible for medical decisions within court requirements while appointing a guardian ad litem to represent the child ahead of an August 25 hearing.
Why this is news
A Dallas County court issued an emergency order requiring medical providers to perform lifesaving heart surgery on an unborn child upon birth following legal intervention by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The ruling came after surrogate McKenna West refused a request by intended parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed to abort the fetus following a severe congenital heart defect diagnosis.
Developments timeline
- Surrogate McKenna West gave birth to a baby boy in Texas after state authorities intervened in response to requests from the intended parents to terminate the pregnancy.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.