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.
This is just so unspeakable wrong.
What is to become of us in such a world?
I just want to pull the blankets over my head and pretend it’s all not real. :-(
Logan’s and trussell’s prayer warriors....PLEASE pray!!!
As for the so-called “parents”, I believe they owe everything they've promised to the surrogate because you can't force someone to get an abortion under any circumstances, but she has a contract with them they must uphold. (ie. Her healthcare and other charges).
This story made me sick to my stomach and very sad. This poor kid has such a minor problem that is so easily corrected. I wish I could get a hold of this woman and offer to take the child into my family and cover the expenses for the vermin that want the abortion. These so called parents sound like the most self absorbed human debris imaginable. Just depressing.
I was adopted and would love to adopt this baby. We couldn’t make up for the lack of the money she was going to receive, but I bet there are people out there that would be glad to. So many people want a child desperately, what a shame that the parents are pushing her into such a decision.
As someone who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate I’m kind of ticked at these people. I wonder what they would think of me if we should meet.
I have a close friend who was considering being a surrogate mother. I read the legal forms she needed to sign. They explicitly state the surrogate must have an abortion done if the adopting parents and/or Dr. want one.
It states this over and over again. If you are a surrogate you must sign that you are willing to go through with an abortion if asked.
This is why my friend did not become one.
Let me just state that I am dead against abortions. But this young woman shouldn’t have signed any of the paperwork. I am guessing she acted foolishly or ignorantly and guessed everything would be fine. Big mistake.
Praying for the baby and everyone else in this story.
My 10 year old daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate. I experience the grace of God daily through his gift of her to me.
We will take the baby. Seriously. I was born with a cleft lip/palate and all but one of the doctors wanted to discontinue feeding and let me die because they said I would be mentally retarded. They were wrong on many things.
MrR and I haven’t been able to have children. I would love to have a cleft palate baby, because I completely understand the situation.
BTTT
God bless you. You give me hope for this poor world.
God has blessed me, greatly. I am serious, if anyone knows how to find this woman, I’ll take over the surrogacy.
13 posts and 3 of them are folks willing to adopt this child.
THIS is why I love Free Republic!
IIRC surrogate babies cannot be made the subject of contract in the UK.
This young mother should get on a plane.
Prayers for her and that she will be surrounded with Godly advise from those that truly have a heart for God as she tries to decide what to do and that any unsaved will be saved
Prayers for baby, mother, and purchasers of baby.
May the Holy Spirit be with Ashley.
And may that couple hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit.
Cleft Plate? “Smile Train”.
Prayer bump
Prayers up!
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