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Surrogate joy for Christine Loh and partner

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Former legislator Christine Loh Kung-wai and boyfriend Craig Ehrlich are celebrating Father's Day this weekend with a baby girl born to a surrogate mother in the United States - but bracing for controversy when they bring her home.

The couple hope to legally adopt Leah Norma Ehrlich, now six weeks old, who was born from a donor egg fertilised by sperm from Mr Ehrlich.

'It is a lifelong dream for me, every bit is as good as I hoped,' Mr Ehrlich told the South China Morning Post. 'It is going to be my first Father's Day with my daughter.'

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Ms Loh, who cannot produce eggs, said that although she was not genetically connected with the baby, whose Chinese name is He Cheng-si, 'it is not a problem for me'.

The birth was arranged by a company in California that provided medical, legal and health support. The pair sought its services after attempts to adopt a baby from the Philippines were thwarted by administrative problems.

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The egg was taken from a Chinese woman in the United States and implanted in the surrogate mother after in vitro fertilisation.

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