Posted on 07/13/2026 8:00:14 PM PDT by Morgana
A same-sex couple in Ontario has sued their surrogate mother after she refused to abort their baby diagnosed with a cleft lip, a relatively minor and easily correctable condition with surgery.
The lawsuit, filed in Ontario Superior Court in May, seeks approximately $600,000 in damages. It alleges the surrogate failed to keep the couple informed about the baby’s health, put the child at risk, failed to follow their directions on medical care, violated confidentiality and caused one parent serious emotional distress.
The conflict began in late June 2024 when an ultrasound at about 22 weeks showed the baby had a cleft lip along with possible cleft palate and a minor heart defect. The couple sent the surrogate a letter demanding she kill the baby in an abortion under a clause in their surrogacy agreement.
“Considering that medical tests indicate that the fetus has, or is likely to have, a genetic, chromosomal or other abnormality or defect, and in accordance with article 8.5 (a) of our surrogacy agreement … we want to inform you of our wish that the pregnancy be terminated,” the letter stated. “Although very difficult, this decision is free and informed.”
The surrogate, a single mother and corrections officer in Ontario’s Muskoka region, refused. She insisted on further testing and said she would only consider having an abortion if the baby had no realistic chance of survival. She viewed the cleft lip as largely cosmetic.
Specialists at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto later determined the baby was otherwise healthy, with only the minor cleft lip defect that can be addressed through surgery and therapy. The couple agreed to continue the pregnancy.
The relationship soured after the disagreement. The surrogate gave birth at home with midwives as originally agreed, though the couple had wanted a hospital delivery because of the cleft lip.
The newborn baby had temporary breathing difficulties but recovered quickly after receiving oxygen and being transported to the hospital.
After taking their son home, the gay couple cut off contact with the surrogate. She later sought reimbursement for roughly $10,000 in expenses related to the pregnancy. The contract required disputes over expenses to go through arbitration.
The surrogate has denied the couple’s allegations, stating she kept them informed and did nothing to endanger the child.
“You know I’m a single mom, you know I have a daughter, and you’re basically suing me for my house. It seems very s—ty, it’s just awful,” she said. “I just feel used … They didn’t get the perfect child they wanted and they threw me away.”
Sally Rhoads-Heinrich, who owns the agency that arranged the surrogacy, expressed concern over the lawsuit.
“What I find most difficult in this is they are suing the woman who brought their son to them. How is their son going to feel some day if he learns that?” she said.
Bioethicist Juliet Guichon noted that the couple had sought to end the baby’s life for a medical condition that can be completely overcome by surgery and therapy. She questioned whether it is in the best interests of the child to be raised by these people.
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Multi-layered travesty and tragedy.
Absolutely despicable. What will happen to that kid if down the road he develops an illness or some kind of disability? It’s Canada so, maybe they would push the kid into assisted suicide.
My granddaughter was born with cleft palate and cleft lip. She is a beautiful gift from God. She has had 2 surgeries and require more.
I’m not a fan of IVF for this very reason, people are so selfish and evil.
President Ronald Reagan was born with the same thing. Remember he was also an actor.
I got news for this delusional homosexual couple. There is no perfect baby. All humans are born with substantial accumulated mutation loads of mostly harmful mutations, with a couple hundred more accumulating with each birth. And even if none of the resulting shortcomings are very noticeable, every kid will turn out to be a dirty rotten sinner who will disabuse them quickly of their notion of a perfect little angel running around doing nothing but pleasing them. And it sounds like they are not prepared to deal with that in the least.
That’s the evil of surrogacy and IVF. Parents are shelling out big bucks so they expect to get what they pay for. Any thing less than perfect just will not do. They are not having a baby they are purchasing one.
The birth defect is the least concern for the child.
Ridiculous shallow people.
My cousin was born with cleft lip in the early ‘60s. It was so bad that I’ve heard that my uncle fainted when he saw her. Of course, she looks perfect now. If that could be corrected 50+ years ago imagine how much better medicine and technology is now.
But that’s not really the point. The point is the character of these freaks.
Need to stop pretending that homosexuality is normal. Political correctness is self delusion.
That’s like blaming the gun. There is no evil in IVF but like a gun it can be misused by evil people. Homosexuall couples should not be able to adopt via IVF or any other way.
Exactly and horrifyingly true
Joaquin Phoenix.
He did just fine.
One might say this case disproves that. IVF separates the conception of a human child from the marital act of two parents. To do so reduces the child to a commodity, created to be bought and sold to the highest bidder, no matter how perverted they may be. If the child is not perfect, like any other commodity you dispose of it. Every child has a right to be born to it's own parents, but not everyone has the right to have a child at any cost, especially to the point of creating one in a petri dish. It also involves the murder of the other children artificially conceived at the same time --a cruel death sentence for simply not being "the chosen one".
I gagged at “their baby”.
“It’s Canada so, maybe they would push the kid into assisted suicide.”
It’s Canada all right. I expect the surrogate to lose the case.
Homos!
” Every child has a right to be born to it’s own parents”
I don’t have a problem with a married normal couple having fertility problems using IVF. It’s the other stuff that you cite that I have a problem with. Enabling people who shouldn’t have children at all is wrong.
,,, but, but, butt - it could have been a boy and it may have turned out gay! These duos simply have no vision of the future. The carrier should have wrapped it all up in a contract where, if the sponsors changed their mind she got $600k.
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