What to know about a surrogacy dispute between a California couple, their surrogate and Texas courts
- A California couple and their surrogate are in a legal dispute over a newborn boy born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital heart defect.
- The surrogate, McKenna West, gave birth in Texas after traveling from Alaska, and her attorneys say the couple wanted to end the pregnancy after the diagnosis.
- The couple says West violated their surrogacy contract, while West sought custody from a Dallas court and has support from anti-abortion groups and some Republican officials.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton intervened, and a Dallas judge ordered hospitals to provide life-sustaining care and keep the baby in Texas until at least a late-August hearing.
- Experts quoted in the report said U.S. surrogacy law varies by state and can create legal gaps, while California would likely treat the contract as controlling.
A legal fight has emerged between a Los Angeles-area couple and their surrogate after a baby boy was born in Texas with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The surrogate, McKenna West, had traveled from Alaska to give birth. Her attorneys say the couple had discussed ending the pregnancy after doctors identified the heart defect, while the couple says West broke the surrogacy agreement.
The case has drawn national attention because of the involvement of anti-abortion groups and Republican officials. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office intervened to protect the baby’s life, and a Dallas judge ordered hospitals to provide life-sustaining treatment and keep the baby in Texas pending a hearing later in August.
The report says surrogacy law is not governed by a federal rule and varies by state, leaving room for disputes like this one. An expert quoted in the story said California courts would likely honor the contract and recognize the intended parents’ custody rights, while the baby’s serious heart condition requires multiple surgeries and long-term medical care.
一对加州夫妇、代孕母亲与得州法院之间的代孕纠纷知多少
一名男婴出生后，一场围绕监护和医疗决定的诉讼随即展开。孩子患有左心发育不全综合征，代孕母亲麦肯纳·韦斯特从阿拉斯加前往得克萨斯分娩。她的律师称，这对住在洛杉矶地区的夫妇在得知胎儿患病后曾讨论终止妊娠；夫妇一方则称韦斯特违反了代孕协议。
这起案件之所以迅速引发全国关注，与反堕胎团体和共和党官员的介入有关。得州总检察长肯·帕克斯顿表示，州政府介入是为了保护婴儿生命；达拉斯一名法官随后命令医院提供维持生命的治疗，并要求婴儿在8月下旬听证会前留在得州。
报道还指出，美国代孕法律没有统一的联邦规则，各州规定不同，容易出现争议。受访专家称，加州法院通常更可能承认代孕合同并支持意向父母的监护权，而这名婴儿的心脏缺陷需要多次手术和长期治疗。