FAQs If You’re Pregnant and Considering Adoption

That’s a personal question that only you can answer. The answer will depend on a number of factors revolving around your ability to provide your baby with a loving, stable home. If you don’t think you’re ready or able to parent you may want to consider placing your baby adoption (Note: that’s the more adoption-friendly wording of “giving up” or “putting up a baby for adoption”). In that case, the first thing you should do is to get counselling and support to learn more about the process and whether it’s right for you. Both are free whether or not you decide to go through with your adoption plan.

America Adopts! is a free web-based service that can help you in two ways: if you’re looking for a family to adopt your baby, you can view and directly connect with hopeful adoptive couples through our Adoption Profiles. We also offer information and resources about the open adoption process and how to create a lasting relationship with your child’s adoptive parents.

On our adoption profiles you’ll find couples from across the U.S. who are qualified to adopt. All of them have undergone a rigorous screening process through their adoption professionals called a “home study.” Through their profiles you can learn more about them and, if and when you’re ready, reach out to them directly.

Adoption is complicated process that involves loss and has long-term repercussions. So before you contact them, ideally you should educate yourself as much as possible about how it all works and what to expect. You should also get counselling and your own legal representation, both of which are free of charge if you’re considering adoption. The adopting parents will be working with their own team of professional and they can put you in touch with an independent set of adoption workers and attorneys who can assist you.

Keep in mind that we’re not an agency so we don’t offer counselling, support or legal advice. Think of us as an online bulletin board or platform that can help you find hopeful adoptive parents. It’s the first stage in the open adoption matching process. Where you go from there is totally up to you and the parents you choose for your baby.

Our Adoption Profiles lets you take control over the selection process by giving you the tools to directly interact and contact hopeful adoptive families. At an agency, a third party usually pre-screens the profiles for you based on the criteria you’ve provided and then asks you to choose the one that best matches your needs.

Adoption can be overwhelming. We try to simplify the process by allowing you to view and reach out to prospective birthparents from all across the country, from the comfort and privacy of your bedroom, school or office, without any pressure or obligation.

Yes. An agency can provide you with counselling and/or legal work. We’re not an agency nor our services designed to replace theirs. We can help you with one part of the process: finding hopeful adoptive parents for your baby. However, in order to get your adoption approved, you’ll need the services of a licensed agency or attorney.

Adoption is a legal and social process that involves more than just finding the right parents for your baby. We can provide information about what you need to know and help you connect with waiting adoptive parents. But ideally you should have a face-to-face meeting with a counselor before making any big decisions.

Adoption can be a wonderful alternative to parenting, but it’s not for everyone. To find out if it’s right for you, educate yourself about the process as much as you can, speak to others who have placed their baby for adoption, get counseling, and then make a decision based on what your heart and gut tell you.

Adoption is free for expectant parents, whether you go through with your adoption plan or not.

Depending on which state you live in, you may be eligible for help with your living and medical expenses during your pregnancy and after the birth.

It can take a few weeks or a few months. It all depends on what stage you’re at in your pregnancy and how quickly you can complete the paperwork and get the guidance you need to make an informed decision. You can make an adoption plan any time before your baby is born, but it can’t be finalized until after your baby’s birth.

Interstate adoptions are possible, but they’re also more complicated. In addition to abiding by the laws in your state, you’ll need to follow the laws of the hopeful adoptive parents’ as well.

The more information you’re comfortable with sharing, the better. As part of the process, you’ll be asked questions about your social and medical history. This is designed to give the adoptive-parents-to-be the information they need to make an informed decision and it could be beneficial for your child, too, if he or she experiences a serious illness down the road.

Adoption is a permanent process. Before the birth of your baby you have the option of changing your mind any time. However, once you sign the consent papers, your rights to your child will be terminated and your baby can’t be returned unless you can prove that your decision was made under duress or coercion.

Every couple on our Adoption Profiles has been carefully screened by an adoption agency or attorney and are ready, able and eligible to adopt. They have undergone medical, financial and criminal record checks and can’t wait to become parents.

Open relationships are based on trust and on the best interests of your child. Some states have open option agreements, but they’re non-binding. The best way to ensure a successful relationship is to keep the lines of communication open and to be as honest and upfront as possible with the waiting adoptive parents.

No. Even though the adoptive parents may not know the circumstances that led you to consider adoption, they understand you’re going through a tough time. As a result, they’ll be there to support you, not judge you.

No. It’s totally up to you. Meeting your child’s hopeful adoptive parents will give you a better sense of who they are and could even help put your mind at rest. But if you’d rather have a closed adoption– an arrangement where you don’t exchange identifying information or have ongoing contact –that’s O.K., too. The adoptive parents will honor and respect your wishes.

In open adoption, babies are placed for adoption, not given away. Most placements occur at the hospital shortly after the birth of the baby. You can decide how much time you want to spend with your baby before saying goodbye. If, on the other hand, you’re not ready to make a decision, you have the option of temporarily placing your baby with a foster family while you think through your decision.

As a rule, it’s a good idea to include the birth father in the adoption process or at least to make your plans known to him. Birthfather rights are tricky and vary from state to state and situation to situation. To find out more, contact an adoption agency or attorney.

Having the father of your child support you during the adoption process is always a plus. But you may have your own reasons about why you don’t want him to be involved. Again, an adoption agency or attorney can explain your options in more detail.

Yes. You can give your baby a name at the hospital and that name will be on the original birth certificate. Usually the adoptive family and expectant parents will decide on a name together before the baby is born as part of their adoption plan. The adoptive parents also have the option of giving the baby a new name, on an amended birth certificate, after the placement.

Drugs and alcohol could affect your baby’s health, so this is something you’ll need to share with your counselor and/or the adoptive parents before the placement. It may be an issue for some families, but not for others. Whatever you decide, it’s important is to get good pre-natal care and to take care of yourself and your baby.

There are no shortage of families who are interested in adopting a child with medical challenges. If the family you choose isn’t open to that option, others will be.

Adoption is a loving decision that involves putting your child’s interests before your own. In open adoption, you have the ability to keep in touch with your child as he or she grows up. Through those discussions and the ones he has with his adoptive parents, he or she will grow up to understand the reasons behind your adoption plan.

Adoption is a life-changing decision that involves pain and loss. Different people react to it in different ways. To help prepare yourself for the long-term repercussions of your decision, be sure you get all the counseling and support you need from your adoption worker and/or a birth parent support group before your baby is born–and afterwards.