The surrogate mother at the center of a national debate over abortion and surrogacy, McKenna West, had a contract with the biological parents that included a specified payment if the pregnancy were terminated, according to court records. West refused to honor the biological parents' wishes to terminate the pregnancy due to medical grounds, leading to a legal dispute that gained national attention.
West, who gave birth to a boy she named Gabriel on Wednesday in Texas, was reportedly to receive $6,000 per month for ten months as base compensation. Additional payments were stipulated for a C-section ($5,000) and, notably, for the termination of the pregnancy ($2,000).
The surrogacy agreement, signed on August 29, 2025, also outlined other financial arrangements. West was to be paid $500 for signing the contract and a $300 monthly allowance. The biological parents agreed to cover costs for medical, physical, and mental health exams, as well as maternity clothing, travel, mileage, tolls for appointments, childcare for her two existing children, and any lost wages related to the pregnancy. Other covered expenses included vitamins, miscellaneous pregnancy-related costs, and housekeeping.
West traveled from Alaska to Los Angeles for embryo implantation, receiving $1,000 for the procedure and an additional $3,000 once the pregnancy was confirmed viable. The contract also stipulated payments for multiple fetuses, lost earnings due to disability, and hospital stays and complications after birth.
The case gained prominence when West, a single mother of two, learned at a 20-week ultrasound that the fetus had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a severe and life-threatening condition requiring multiple surgeries. She claims the biological parents then pressured her to abort the fetus and arranged for her to travel to Seattle for the procedure. West refused to comply, citing the baby's chance at life.
Court documents indicate that the biological parents ceased payments to West in May, following her decision to decline the abortion. West had sought custody of the baby and asked a court to nullify the surrogacy agreement. She traveled to Dallas, Texas, on July 15, seeking specialized care for the infant at UT Southwestern.
Gabriel was born on August 12 and has been returned to the custody of his biological parents, Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, while he receives care in the NICU. A Texas court has temporarily granted the couple authority over the baby's medical care and has restricted West's access, with a further hearing scheduled.
The legal battle continues as West seeks to establish parental rights, while Ahmed and Gilkar assert their rights as legal parents based on the surrogacy agreement. The situation has ignited a public debate regarding surrogacy contracts, parental rights, and abortion laws in the United States.