McKenna West surrogacy case

Uncommon card · No. 184652

In 2026, a surrogacy arrangement between surrogate McKenna West and intended parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed led to custody litigation in California, Alaska, and Texas, as well as widespread media attention and ethical debate surrounding surrogacy, abortion, and bodily autonomy. The dispute began after the fetus West was carrying was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect, and the couple asked her to terminate the pregnancy under a clause in their surrogacy agreement. West did not have the abortion, instead traveling to Texas, which bans most abortions. She gave birth in Dallas in August 2026, at which point custody was formally awarded to the genetic parents Gilkar and Ahmed.

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