The woman who provides the egg that develops into an embryo. • With today’s genetic-engineering techniques, the biological mother may not be the birth mother, but she is usu. the legal mother. — Also termed genetic mother; natural mother.
The man whose sperm impregnated the child’s biological mother. — Also termed natural father; birth father; genetic father. [Cases: Children Out-of-Wedlock 35. C.J.S. Children Out-of-Wedlock §§ 46, 49, 91.]
The woman who carries an embryo during the gestational period and who delivers the child. • When a child is conceived through artificial insemination, the birth mother may not be the genetic or biological mother. And she may not be the legal mother. — Also termed gestational mother. See surrogate mother; natural mother; biological mother.
An adoption in which the biological mother (sometimes with the biological father) chooses the adoptive parents and in which the child often continues to have a post-adoption relationship with his or her biological family. • Typically the birth parents meet the adoptive parents and participate in the separation and placement process. The birth parents relinquish
An adoption that occurs independently between the biological mother (and sometimes the biological father) and the adoptive parents without the involvement of an agency. • A private adoption is usu. arranged by an intermediary such as a lawyer, doctor, or counselor. Legal custody — though sometimes not physical custody — remains with the biological parent
equitable-parent doctrine. Family law. The principle that a spouse who is not the biological parent of a child born or conceived during the marriage may, in a divorce action, be considered the child’s natural father or mother if (1) the other spouse and the child both acknowledge a parent–child relationship, esp. when that other spouse
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Either the biological father or the mother who gives birth to a child. — Sometimes written birthparent.
maternity (m[schwa]-t[schwa]r-ni-tee). 1. The state or condition of being a mother, esp. a biological one; motherhood. Cf. FILIATION. 2. The section of a hospital devoted to the care of mothers and infants during and after childbirth. 3. ATTRIBUTION RIGHT.