By TMZ | Created at 2026-08-14 19:48:49 | Updated at 2026-08-14 22:22:29
4 hours ago
Surrogate McKenna West I Can't Go Through with Abortion ... Read Her Emotional Letter
Published August 14, 2026 10:37 AM PDT | Updated August 14, 2026 11:42 AM PDT
Surrogate McKenna West sent an emotional plea to the surrogacy clinic and the biological parents, saying she was not sure she could live with herself if she went through with an abortion, days before the procedure was scheduled.
The biological parents wanted to terminate the pregnancy, per the surrogacy agreement, after an ultrasound revealed the fetus had a serious heart issue.
According to letters filed in court documents, obtained by TMZ, McKenna notified Worldwide Surrogacy on May 4, 2026 to say she could not go through with the scheduled termination ... writing, "After careful thought, I have decided that I cannot terminate this pregnancy. This baby is in my body, and I care for him very much."
McKenna feared she would not be able to live with herself if she terminated the pregnancy ... before ultimately canceling the abortion and later saying her soul had "finally felt a peace" after two weeks of emotional turmoil.
The day after she sent the first letter, the biological parents repeatedly pressed the surrogacy center for updates -- writing, "We would like an update immediately. We have every right to know in REAL TIME what McKenna is planning on doing tomorrow."
In a May 7 letter sent through the surrogacy center, West described the "deep pain and sorrow" she felt over being asked to terminate the pregnancy, and wrote that feeling Gabriel move and kick had reinforced her belief that there was "life within" her.
West also explained why the decision conflicted so deeply with her personal and professional values ... writing, "From the work I do as a mother, to the work I do as a registered nurse, I feel called to defend, care for, and protect the vulnerable.”
She continued, saying the requested termination "truly goes against everything I do in my life, from my motherhood to my career; protecting life, not ending it."
As we previously reported ... West entered into a surrogacy agreement with the California couple, and the agreement included a provision allowing them to request termination if a fetal anomaly was discovered.
The baby was later diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital heart defect ... but West refused to terminate the pregnancy and traveled to Texas to give birth, setting off the legal showdown.
The TRO filed by the baby's biological parents remains in effect until at least August 25, when West has been ordered to appear in a Dallas court.
