The Nation - News from April 13, 1987

Almost three out of four Americans support a judge’s decision in the Baby M case to turn the child of a surrogate mother over to the baby’s father, according to a poll. The New York Times/CBS News Poll reported that 74% of the 1,045 adults interviewed said the baby should go to the father, William Stern, whose sperm was used. Fifteen percent said the child known in court as Baby M should go to her surrogate mother, Mary Beth Whitehead, according to the poll. After the birth of the baby, Whitehead refused to honor a surrogate contract she had signed. A New Jersey judge ruled that Stern should have custody.