How to Say "Surrogate Mother" in French

mère porteuse

/mɛʁ pɔʁ.tøz/feminine

The English phrase "surrogate mother" is translated into French as mère porteuse.

mère porteuse is used to describe a woman who gives birth to a child that is not her own.

Meaning: woman who gives birth to a child not her own (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The term literally translates to 'carrying mother', where porteuse is the feminine form of porteur (carrier/bearer).

The pronunciation is /mɛʁ pɔʁ.tøz/. It has 2 syllables.

While mère porteuse is the common term, the practice of surrogacy is strictly prohibited under French law regardless of the payment involved.
The word porteuse shares its root with the verb porter, which means 'to carry' but is also the standard French verb for 'to wear' clothing.
Because the term porteuse can also mean 'a carrier' of a disease, using it in a medical context requires careful phrasing to avoid confusion.

La femme était la mère porteuse de l'enfant.
The woman was the child's surrogate mother.
Tatoeba #10275755 by lbdx, translation #6907600 by swolesuki
Je me rends compte que la gestation pour autrui est un sujet complexe et délicat.
I realize that surrogacy is a complex and delicate subject.
Nous avons discuté de la mère porteuse, et elle a pris la décision incroyable d'aider un couple.
We discussed the surrogate mother, and she made the incredible decision to help a couple.
La mère porteuse est très jeune.
The surrogate mother is very young.

Gabriel and Emma are discussing a medical news article.

Gabriel

As-tu lu cet article sur la mère porteuse ?
Did you read this article about the surrogate mother?
Emma

Oui, c'est un sujet très complexe.
Yes, it is a very complex subject.
Gabriel

Emma, penses-tu que c'est éthique ?
Emma, do you think it is ethical?
Emma

C'est une question difficile à trancher.
It is a difficult question to decide.

Sources

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