Surrogate mother offered $10,000 to abort imperfect baby

March 05, 2013

A Connecticut couple reportedly offered a surrogate mother $15,000 to abort a child who was diagnosed with serious genetic defects, in a case that exposes the seamier side of artificial reproduction.

The surrogate mother was originally paid $22,000 to carry the child that the Connecticut couple had produced through in vitro fertilization. When prenatal tests revealed that the child would be born with a cleft palate and other abnormalities, the genetic parents instructed the surrogate mother to abort the child.

The surrogate mother refused. Although she said that her refusal was based on religious principles, she reportedly agreed to abort if the couple would raise their price to $15,000.

Unable to resolve her legal differences with the genetic parents, the surrogate mother fled across the US to avoid their demands. She carried the pregnancy to term, and the baby has now been adopted.

 

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Further information:

• Surrogate offered $10,000 to abort baby (CNN)
• Surrogate mother fled across country to give birth and save baby after parents wanted child aborted (Daily Mail)