Surrogate gives birth in Texas after judge orders life-saving care

A California couple's surrogate, McKenna West, gave birth to a baby boy in Texas on Wednesday, a day after a Dallas judge ordered life-sustaining care for the newborn. The child, diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), was receiving stabilizing care and scheduled for surgery at a Texas hospital, according to West's attorney Source: AP News. The case has drawn national attention, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton intervening on West's behalf Source: CNN.

The dispute

West, who traveled to Texas from Alaska, accused the biological parents, Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, of pressuring her to terminate the pregnancy after the diagnosis at 20 weeks Source: AP News. The couple denies this, stating in court filings that they never intended to refuse surgery and that medical professionals said it was unclear if the baby would be a candidate for open-heart surgery Source: AP News. Their attorney, Lee Budner, called West and Paxton's actions "political theater" Source: The Guardian.

Legal and political context

A judge on Tuesday ordered life-sustaining treatment after Paxton intervened, and a temporary restraining order prevented West from seeing or holding the child Source: CNN. Paxton said his office "utilized every tool at our disposal to protect life" Source: The Guardian. The couple's lawyer confirmed the birth and said the baby is receiving medical care from pediatric experts Source: The Guardian.

What's next

The baby's immediate medical care is the priority, with surgery scheduled. The legal dispute over custody and medical decisions may continue, as the couple argues West broke the surrogacy contract and a California court determined she has no custody rights Source: AP News. The case highlights the complexities of surrogacy agreements and abortion laws, with Texas banning abortion in most circumstances Source: The Guardian.