Surrogate Refuses Abortion; Fights for Custody of Preborn Child
Watch her exclusive interview with Lila Rose.

Washington, D.C. – Live Action, one of the nation’s leading human rights organizations, released an exclusive interview with McKenna West, a single mother and surrogate from Alaska.

McKenna is at the center of a legal battle as she fights to protect the life of the baby boy she is carrying. The intended parents demanded she abort him following a prenatal diagnosis of a serious but treatable heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

HLHS is a congenital condition that specialists say offers a strong chance of survival and good quality of life with timely medical intervention, however the intended parents have suggested they will not consent to the necessary procedures after birth and instead plan to withhold life-saving care, effectively leaving the baby to die. 

At 35 weeks pregnant, McKenna filed for custody of the preborn child, who she is calling Gabriel, so that he can receive the series of surgeries required to treat his condition. She has stated that she will drop her custody petition if the couple commits to providing the baby with the recommended care.

Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, released the following statement:

“Medical technology is amazing. The hospital that deals with cases like this little boy's heart condition has a high success rate with a series of life-saving surgeries. We have ways to care for life, but medicine should never be used to destroy life.

Yet, because we have abortion on demand in America through all nine months, we have search and destroy missions that happen in healthcare. They look for a defect with a baby, such as a genetic condition, and then suggest termination. Life that is seen as inconvenient or not perfect, is thrown away.

McKenna is a hero, and this case is so important. The fact that surrogacy contracts are basically slavery contracts today is completely unethical, and we shouldn't be allowing this any longer.”

Individuals can support McKenna’s fight to save Gabriel by visiting their donation website.

About Lila Rose and Live Action
Lila Rose founded and serves as president of Live Action. Live Action is a 501(c)3 human rights non-profit and the digital leader of the global pro-life movement. Live Action exists today to shift public opinion against abortion and to defend the rights of the most vulnerable. With over 9.3 million social media followers and 4.1 billion lifetime video views, Live Action reaches individuals 71 million times per month– saving lives and transforming hearts, with 43% of surveyed followers saying Live Action’s content has changed their position against abortion. Through compelling educational media, human interest storytelling, investigative reporting, and community activism, Live Action reveals the humanity of preborn children and exposes the abortion industry’s exploitation of women and families for profit. Lila is also the author of Fighting for Life: Becoming a Force for Change in a Wounded World.