A baby involved in a contentious surrogacy dispute between a Los Angeles couple and their surrogate underwent a life-saving heart surgery, an attorney for the couple confirmed. Rumi, the infant son of Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, was born last week to surrogate McKenna West and is recovering after the first of three required surgeries.
West, who lives in Alaska, had been carrying the child when the fetus was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious and life-threatening condition. According to West's account, Ahmed and Gilkar expressed a desire to terminate the pregnancy. West then traveled to Texas, where she gave birth to Rumi.
The Los Angeles couple has since gained custody of the infant. Lee Budner, the attorney representing Ahmed and Gilkar, stated that Rumi underwent a "complex palliative heart surgery" on August 17th. The procedure is the initial step in a three-surgery treatment plan for his condition.
"My clients immediately provided consent for the surgery to occur at the hospital's earliest availability," Budner said in a statement. "Rumi was taken into the operating room for surgery earlier this morning. His condition remains critical and complex, and his family seeks privacy in caring for their son on his long road to recovery."
The statement further indicated that Rumi is recuperating with his parents. Anti-abortion activists have referred to the infant as "Baby Gabriel."