Australian couple abandons Down syndrome baby from Thai surrogate

[MikelArteta]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/austra...n-syndrome-baby-from-thai-surrogate-1.2726057

Surrogacy Australia says it is shocked and outraged that an Australian couple abandoned a baby in Thailand with his surrogate mother after he was found to have Down syndrome and a life-threatening heart condition.

Pattaramon Chanbua has told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) she gave birth to twins after agreeing to be a surrogate with a promised payment of about $16,000.


The Western Australian couple rejected six-month-old Gammy and only took his healthy sister home with them, and Pattaramon says she cannot afford Gammy's medical treatment. She told the ABC she refused the couple's request to terminate the pregnancy because in Thai culture that would be considered sinful.


Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs says it is concerned by the reports and is consulting with Thai authorities. In Australia, people from New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) are prohibited from entering a commercial surrogacy agreement overseas.


Rachel Kunde, executive director of Surrogacy Australia, said the case is shocking. "Someone's left a baby behind and separated it from its twin and pretty much just disregarded that it was their child, which is something that is just unfathomable for people to think about," she said.

She is worried about a knee-jerk reaction to the case could lead to an outright ban on surrogacy arrangements.

"We're hoping that this is actually a positive step towards better regulation," Ms Kunde said. "Of course we don't think it should be banned but we do think there should be more regulation and that surrogacy should be more accessible in Australia, because this is why people are going overseas because surrogacy isn't as easily done here."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it's "an incredibly sad story."

"I guess it illustrates some of the pitfalls involved in this particular business. It's a very, very sad story and I hate to think that a child could be abandoned like that," he said.

He said there may be some support for the surrogate family. "Let's look at things and see what might be possible," he said. 'Why does he have to be abandoned?'

Along with Down syndrome, baby Gammy has a hole in his heart. He is now in hospital undergoing treatment.

Pattaramon, 21, lives about 90 kilometres south of Bangkok with her two other children — a six-year-old and a three-year-old. Pattaramon says she cannot afford the expensive treatment the baby needs.

"I felt sorry for the boy. It was like this is the adults' fault and who is he to have to endure something like this even though it's not his fault?" Pattaramon said. "Why does he have to be abandoned while the other baby has it easy?

"I feel sorry for him. I don't know what to do. I chose to have him, not to hurt him. I love him. He was in my tummy for nine months, it's like my child. I treat him like my other children, never think you are not my child and I don't care for you, never."

While Gammy's Australian parents abandoned him, the general public has not. A campaign on fundraising web site GoFundMe has raised more than $100,000.

In Thailand, the ruling military is cracking down on an often unregulated IVF and surrogacy industry — and for Australians already using Thai surrogates it is an anxious time.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/austra...n-syndrome-baby-from-thai-surrogate-1.2726057

a part of me understands

 

[Hacksaw Jim Thuggin]

not sure i how i feel about this....

messed up all around

 

[Ricky Church]

 

[Lord Vile]

I can't even lie... I would probably do the same.

 

[gho3st]

sht reminds me of Dwight Yorke.

 

[Malik]

I mean, it's fukked up but they asked her to terminate the pregnancy and she refused (due to cultural reasons). When you're a surrogate, you're being paid to carry someone's child. That means their wants supersede yours, sadly. Since you wouldn't terminate, against their wishes, upon learning about the complications, that's on you for bringing this child into the world.

 

[Dada]

Not only is it despicable what they did to this child but they're messing it up for other couples. I've seen this before, a big case like this and adoptions from X are stopped. I could see the same thing happening with surrogates. They should've done their research beforehand. Usually these kinds of contracts specify what would happen in these types of circumstances, makes me wonder if they chose Thailand so they could take shorts. It's not as simple as, "it's their baby" it's much more complex than that, and I'm going from actual cases that have happened.

 

[Taadow]

Mmmmm, they got a down down baby
In the streets of Thailand
16 thousand to pop - thaswhattheypaidherFO'

Shimmy shimmy cocoa PUFF, that was kinda wack
took the sis but Gammy STUCK, pass him back to Patt