Legal Definitions - biological mother

A biological mother is the woman who contributes the ovum (egg) and gives birth to a child. This term emphasizes the direct genetic and gestational connection between the mother and the child.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a biological mother:

• Example 1: Sarah gives birth to her daughter, Emily, after a full-term pregnancy. Sarah provided the egg and carried Emily to term.

  Explanation: In this common scenario, Sarah is Emily's biological mother because she contributed the genetic material (egg) and physically gave birth to her child.

• Example 2: Maria undergoes in vitro fertilization (IVF) using her own eggs and her partner's sperm. She successfully carries the pregnancy to term and gives birth to twins.

  Explanation: Even though medical assistance was used for conception, Maria is the biological mother of the twins because she provided the genetic material (her eggs) and was the gestational carrier, giving birth to them.

• Example 3: A young adult, Alex, discovers through a family history search that his birth certificate lists a different mother than the woman who raised him. A DNA test confirms that the woman listed on the birth certificate is indeed his genetic mother.

  Explanation: The DNA test establishes that the woman on the birth certificate is Alex's biological mother, confirming the genetic link, regardless of who raised him or whether she was involved in his life after birth.