Posted on 02/17/2012 12:09:35 AM PST by Morgana
Earlier today I was sent a link to a blog of a woman named “Ashley” who is acting as a surrogate mother. She says she is around 20 weeks pregnant with the child of another couple, and recently found out that the child suffers from some abnormalities.
What those abnormalities are Ashley herself did not say, but the person who forwarded the link to me said it was cleft lip and palate – a minor condition that can be surgically remedied after birth.
But now the parents of the child have demanded that Ashley abort the child. In a heartrending post Ashley laments that the parents have decided that the baby she is carrying is not “good enough” and are pressuring her to undergo the trauma of a late-term abortion – from which Ashley wonders if she would recover. She also says that the parents have told her that they will “try again” with another surrogate.
I immediately e-mailed Ashley offering her any support necessary – knowing that the pro-life movement would go to any lengths to ensure that she is able to bring the child to term. By the time I found her blog, already people were beginning to flood it with comments beseeching her not to be bullied into the abortion, and offering assistance.
I have not yet heard back from Ashley. Late this evening I discovered that her blog had been made private, and I could no longer access it.
After doing some further searches, I found this post from today at BabyCenter from someone claiming to be the “friend” of a surrogate mother whose situation is exactly the same as Ashley’s. It seems safe to assume that, in fact, the surrogate being spoken of is indeed Ashley (We can’t, of course, be 100% sure - but it seems unlikely that there is more than one surrogate mother at 20 weeks with a baby with cleft lip being pressured to abort right now).
If so, then it appears that the baby does suffer simply from cleft lip and palate, although there maybe some other issues as well (potentially with the heart). It also appears that Ashley herself is personally against abortion – which gives some hope that she will not be bullied into the abortion. In fact, her friend (assuming it is her friend) writes, “She will not terminate” (although on her blog Ashley sounded somewhat less certain than that).
However, what is certain is that Ashley is under heavy pressure right now: for while the couple cannot actually force Ashley to go through with the abortion, they can refuse payment, and leave Ashley to deal not only with a significant financial shortfall, but also with the uncertainties, costs and trouble of any potential medical problems that the baby may have.
I have to stress that none of this has been properly verified. All I have is a blog that is now private and a post on Baby Center. I would much rather that the facts were clearer, but certainly at present there is no indication that this is a hoax, and every indication that it is very real.
For now it appears that all we can do is pray for Ashley, which I hope you will all do. And perhaps hope that she discovers this post and realizes that there are many, many people who would be willing to help her, or otherwise gets in touch with people who are able to assist her in her bid to bring the child to term.
Certainly this is not the first time that a surrogate mother has been pressured into aborting a child she is carrying against her will – and it won’t be the last. This case, and others like it, are a grim illustration of what happens when pregnancy and childbirth are reduced to an economic transaction: no matter how good the motives of both parties may be.
I join in earnest prayer for this child and surrogate mother!
Prayers up!
Prayers for a positive outcome.
Prayers lifted....
Good God...cleft palate is easily fixed!!!!
Yah,that requirement would last about 30 seconds in this country's courts.well,maybe except courts in Massachusetts...California....Vermont...Illinois...
Wait a minute....
At 20 weeks the child would experience horrific pain while being murdered.
Praying that this young woman does not go through with this and harm herself both physically and emotionally in the process.
I’m with you dear sister!
I couldn't say it any better. It's not like GM sold them a lemon.
This is a human being for God's sake. You don't just send them back to the dealer and get your money back.
Where are people's hearts?
Thank God for you, mitch5501!
Oh my gosh!!!!!! My nephew was born with a cleft lip/palate. You couldn’t tell by looking now. It’s not hard to correct.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.