Surrogate Refuses Abortion, Sparks Cross-State Custody Battle
A California couple’s surrogate, McKenna West, carried a fetus diagnosed with a life-threatening heart defect (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). After doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy, West refused and traveled from Alaska to Texas to give birth where abortion is restricted. The baby was born in Dallas, and a custody fight has emerged: the birth parents say West initially agreed to an abortion but later cut contact, while West’s lawyer says she chose to carry to term and now seeks custody. Texas officials intervened, with the attorney general and a Dallas judge ordering the infant to remain in Texas to receive life-saving treatment. The case underscores tensions around surrogacy contracts, abortion access, and cross-state legal battles over parental rights.