Why would a mother be needed at all? I'm currently watching that episode. It's one of the few nods to the origins of the Eugenics Wars which then result in Khan becoming important in TOS and later in Star Trek 2.
I haven't watched all of the DS9 episodes, but apparently this comes up again with the Dominion and helps gives them power.
It's highly likely that at some point tissue could be grown that would produce the proper environment and minute amounts of hormones released to sustain the environoment. All very Dr. Frankenstein and sickening.