surrogate mother
Noun: 1. A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child on behalf of another person or couple, typically because the intended mother is unable to carry a pregnancy. The surrogate mother's egg may or may not be used in the process.
The term "surrogate mother" specifically refers to the woman who carries and delivers the child. It is used in legal, medical, and social contexts to describe this specific role in assisted reproduction. - The couple was overjoyed when their surrogate mother successfully gave birth to a healthy baby girl. - Legal contracts are essential to define the rights and responsibilities of a surrogate mother and the intended parents.
- Gestational Surrogate Mother: A surrogate who carries an embryo created using the egg and sperm of the intended parents or donors, meaning she is not genetically related to the child.
- As a gestational surrogate mother, she carried the embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Traditional Surrogate Mother: A surrogate who is artificially inseminated with the intended father's sperm (or donor sperm), making her the child's genetic mother.
- In a traditional arrangement, the surrogate mother is also the biological mother of the child.
- Surrogacy (n): The practice or process of acting as a surrogate mother.
- They explored the option of surrogacy to start their family.
- Surrogate (n/adj): A more general term for a person or thing acting as a substitute. When used as a noun alone, it can refer to a surrogate mother.
- She agreed to be their surrogate. (Here, "surrogate" is short for "surrogate mother.")
- Gestational Carrier: A more precise clinical term, often synonymous with "gestational surrogate mother."
- Birth Mother: In the specific context of surrogacy, this can refer to the surrogate, though "birth mother" more commonly refers to a biological mother who places a child for adoption.
The role of a "surrogate mother" is distinct from an adoptive mother or a foster mother. The key difference is the pre-planned agreement for her to become pregnant and give birth with the intention of the child being raised by the intended parent(s) from birth. The term focuses on the function of pregnancy and childbirth rather than a lasting parental role.
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a woman who bears a child for a couple where the wife is unable to do so
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a surrogate mother is artificially inseminated with the father's semen and carries the fetus to term
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