The terms "biological mother" and "genetic mother" are often used interchangeably, but they can sometimes refer to different individuals, especially in cases involving assisted reproductive technologies like surrogacy or egg donation.
- Biological mother refers to the woman who carries the pregnancy and gives birth to the child. This is also known as the gestational mother.
- Genetic mother refers to the woman who provides the egg that is fertilized to create the child.
Here's a breakdown of the scenarios where these terms might differ:
- Surrogacy: In surrogacy, the gestational mother (the surrogate) carries the pregnancy and gives birth, while the genetic mother is the intended parent who provides the egg.
- Egg donation: In egg donation, the genetic mother is the donor who provides the egg, while the biological mother is the intended parent who carries the pregnancy and gives birth.
In situations where the intended parents are a same-sex couple, the terms "biological mother" and "genetic mother" might be used to distinguish between the partners. For example, one partner might be the genetic mother who provided the egg, while the other partner is the biological mother who carried the pregnancy and gave birth.
