It’s been a common term in my country for as long as I can remember so it might be cultural. I’d say “biological parents” has a more clinical connotation to it but would be just as easily interpreted.

Most commonly used by people who are adopted to refer to their biological parents (especially I would say if they have a relationship with them). I definitely wouldn’t view it as a woke term (I wouldn’t see how it would serve that demographic) unless it’s being used in a different way to the definition I posted earlier.

Reading the article it might have a new meaning which potentially refers to the parent who actually performs the birth? I still don’t think I’d consider that woke but I’ve never heard it in that context and would find it a confusing term since I’m used to the other definition.