El derecho de nacer (English: The Right to Be Born) is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carlos Sotomayor for Televisa.

El derecho de nacer tells the story of the del Junco family: Rafael (Carlos Bracho), a powerful man, a despot, and a male chauvinist; his wife Clemencia (Diana Bracho), who flees her reality with drugs; and their daughters María Elena (Kate del Castillo) and Matilde (Maite Embil), victims of their father's oppression.

María Elena is seduced by Alfredo Martínez (Hugo Acosta), a compulsive gambler who flees the city in order to escape his debts, leaving the minor pregnant.

Don Rafael believes that the child has died, while María Elena dedicates her body and soul to searching for her little son with the help of Aldo Drigani (Saúl Lisazo), whom she later marries after he saves her from various conflicts.

With many sacrifices, but with a mother's great love, María Dolores rears little Alberto (Miguel Ángel Biaggio) and educates him so that he will be a good man.