Surrogate mum reveals why she refused to abort ‘precious’ baby with heart defect after biological parents sued her

A SURROGATE mum who refused to abort the baby of the couple who hired her has broken her silence for the first time. McKenna West, 28, gave birth to the child – who has a rare heart defect – against the wishes of biological parents Nasheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed. Surrogate mum McKenna West has told her side of the story for the first time Credit: Live Action West paid for the pregnancy costs herself Credit: Facebook/Mckenna West The baby boy, who West named Gabriel, was born on August 12 and has now been handed over to the biological parents – despite their earlier pleas to terminate the pregnancy. The legal battles between the trio rage on however – and now West has broken her silence on the ordeal and issued a final, desperate plea. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! In a bombshell article for the New York Post, West said hearing the order to terminate her pregnancy was the moment “my worst fears came true”. She said: “It is unthinkable to me to give birth to a precious, living, breathing baby boy and yet deny him the chance to survive.” The mum-of-two was convinced that the baby she was carrying “had a real chance at a full life”. Babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) need to undergo the Norwood procedure – a complex open-heart surgery shortly after birth – followed by two further surgeries. “As a cardiac nurse, I knew this little one had a great shot at survival if given the opportunity to receive the necessary treatment”, she said. Californian couple Gilkar and Ahmed had previously agreed to pay West £45,000 to carry their child, court docs say, but changed their mind after discovering the baby had HLHS. Most read in The Sun The biological parents have sued West for around $100,000 for breach of contract Credit: Facebook/Mckenna West West, a cardiac nurse, researched the best hospitals to give birth to the baby boy Credit: Live Action The syndrome means that the child’s heart is too small and cannot pump blood to the rest of his body. It was discovered at week 20 of the pregnancy. The contract signed between the trio included a clause which stated that West must get an abortion if there were problems with the fetus – but the nurse could not face giving up the baby. Furious that West broke the terms of their contract, the couple sued the nurse for at least $100,000. They also cut off payments for the pregnancy – which West then covered herself. “All I wanted was for the contracting couple to commit to giving this baby lifesaving treatment. But they refused. “So, I made my own plans to save him.” The nurse researched the best states for the Norwood procedure – and then moved with her two kids to Texas. There, West planned to give birth in a hospital with a 100% survival rate for the complex open heart surgery. A Texan court order forced the couple to allow the necessary medical treatment. Gilkar and Ahmed continue to fight to have this court order thrown out. In a further devastating twist, West has not been allowed to hold the baby boy she carried and delivered. “The only glimpse I got of him was during a very short 60 seconds while his umbilical cord was still connected” she recounted, adding “as soon as the cord was cut, he was taken away.” West sums up the battle like this: “Two sides are in a dispute, but only one of us is committing to lifesaving care. “My plea, my only goal, is simple: Let’s commit to giving this baby the full treatment he needs to live.” Comment now