What Is Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome? Fight Over Unborn Baby Explained
Summary
An Alaskan surrogate mother, McKenna West, is in a legal battle with a Californian couple who want her to abort their unborn baby after doctors found the baby has hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a serious heart defect. West has traveled to Texas seeking legal protection because doctors in Alaska refused to perform a high-risk, late-term abortion.Key Facts
- McKenna West, an Alaskan nurse and surrogate mother, became pregnant with a baby for a Californian couple through a surrogacy agency.
- At 20 weeks pregnant, an anatomy scan showed the baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a severe congenital heart defect.
- HLHS is a condition where the left side of the heart doesn’t form properly, causing major blood flow problems.
- Babies with HLHS need several complicated surgeries soon after birth to survive but the condition is not curable and may cause lifelong health issues.
- The Californian couple asked West to have an abortion based on their surrogacy agreement, which includes an “abortion-upon-demand clause.”
- Doctors in Alaska refused to perform the late-term abortion because it is high risk.
- West went to Texas to seek legal protection as the case involves laws from multiple states.
- About 925 babies in the U.S. are born with HLHS each year, but the causes are not fully understood.
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