A baby that was born with Down syndrome to a Thai surrogate mother was abandoned by his Australian parents, Fairfax Media reported.
Last year, a surrogate agent offered 21-year-old Pattharamon Janbua over $15,000 to carry the genetic child of an anonymous Australian couple. Financially struggling and in debt, Janbua agreed. She ended up being pregnant with twins and was offered more money.
When the parents learned one of the babies would be born with Down syndrome, Janbua, who lives outside of Bangkok, said they told her to have an abortion.
"I didn't agree because I am afraid of sin," Janbua, who is Buddhist, told Fairfax Media.
When the babies were born in December, the surrogate agent took the healthy twin and left Janbua with the baby boy, named Gammy.
Now, six months later, baby Gammy is in jeopardy because Janbua cannot afford to take care of him. Gammy also has a hole in his heart and needs surgery.
"I feel sorry for him," Janbua, who has two children of her own, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "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 like my child."
As news of baby Gammy spread, an online campaign called "Hope for Gammy" was started to raise money for his operations and to help Janbua care for him, Fairfax Media reported. The campaign has raised over $160,000 as of Saturday.
News of Gammy's plight also comes as Thai authorities crack down on the country's lucrative surrogacy business, which is fueled by a significant amount of Australian parents.
Thai health officials announced Wednesday that paying money to any woman in exchange for carrying a child is illegal, Fairfax Media reported. Officials also declared surrogacy cases will only be legal if a married couple that cannot conceive asks a blood relative to carry the child.
