I’m pregnant and I want to put the baby up for adoption. Who can help me?
Your local Planned Parenthood health center, other health care provider, trusted clergyperson, school counselor, or your state or local department of family or child services can answer your questions and help you get in touch with people who can arrange an adoption.
Adoptions are arranged by an adoption agency, adoption counselor or lawyer, or social worker. When talking with them, you’ll probably have lots of questions. You might want to ask
- Will using your services cost me anything?
- Do you offer counseling or support groups for birth mothers and birth fathers?
- How do you screen the adoptive families you work with?
- Will I be able to meet with adoptive families?
- If I choose an open adoption, will you help me stay in touch with the adoptive family?
- Can you help with prenatal care or delivery costs?
- Do you work with families looking for babies of different races and ethnicities? Are there families interested in adopting babies with special medical needs?
- What are the birth father’s rights in my state?
- If I choose adoption, when is my decision final?
Be sure to read any adoption agreement very carefully. It’s best to have your own lawyer review the agreement before you sign. Look in the yellow pages under “adoption attorney” or ask a social worker to help you find a lawyer.
For more information about adoption, check out the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Tags: pregnancy, pregnancy options, adoption