Things to consider
When beginning your adoption journey, it is easy to become overwhelmed with all of the choice.
Domestic? International? Newborn? Older child? The possibilities are endless.
One of the very first steps any couple should take before beginning their adoption journey is to decide which type of adoption best suits them. There are many factors to consider when choosing adoption. Below you will find a checklist of just some of the factors to consider when choosing adoption:
Openness: Do you prefer an open, closed or semi-open adoption?
The adoption world is full of industry terms and language that can be confusing to many. As many couples quickly learn, there is a lot more to the adoption process than simply deciding whether or not to pursue an adoption plan -- including what type of adoption they wish to pursue.
One of the most confusing issues facing prospective adoptive couples is the varying types of adoptions. Adding to this confusion is the fact that nearly every adoption professional has a different definition of what a closed, open and semi-open adoption entails.
Here is a list of what American Adoptions considers to be a closed, open and semi-open adoption:
Closed Adoptions
When many people think about adoption, they envision a closed adoption in which the adoptive family and birth mother remain confidential, with no contact prior to or after the placement of the child. For many generations, it was common practice to keep adoptions closed. However, in the early 1980s, adoption began to shift toward more openness. Today, some people believe closed adoptions to be “safer,” mainly out of a fear that if the birth parents know where the adoptive family lives, that they will “take back” the child. While this fear has largely been perpetuated by television movies and sensationalized media reports, this is not true. Today’s adoption laws are very clear – once the adoption is finalized, the adoptive family is recognized as the child’s legal family. Today, closed domestic adoptions are more rare; however almost all international adoptions are closed. If a closed adoption is your preference, then you may wish to pursue an international adoption.
Open Adoptions
While many adoption professionals have varying definitions of what an “open” adoption is, it typically means that the birth parents and the adoptive family speak prior to and even after the child is born without any agency involvement. This may include phone calls and face-to-face visits. Some adoptions of this nature are very open, with the adoptive family and birth parents exchanging contact information and agreeing to periodic visits by the birth parents as the child grows. If you hope to pursue an open adoption, then domestic adoption is the choice for you. An open international adoption will not be possible, as may times children available for adoption internationally have been surrendered anonymously to the orphanage, leaving adoption professionals no identifying information.
Semi-Open Adoptions
Semi-open adoptions fall in between open and closed adoptions. The adoptive family and birth parents usually will know basic information about each other, such as their first names and state of residence. Complete contact information, such as phone numbers and addresses, are not shared. While adoptive families and birth parents may speak to one another prior to the birth of the child, some confidentiality is maintained. Once the child has been placed with the adoptive family, the birth parents may still stay in contact with the family via letters and pictures, however this correspondence is handled by a third party, such as the adoption agency. American Adoptions handles all correspondence between our birth parents and adoptive families in a semi-open adoption. Our agency maintains the current contact information for each party – if the birth parents or adoptive family wishes to send a letter or pictures to the other party, they simply mail it to the agency. We then repackage the letter so there is no identifying information (such as mailing address) and forward it on to the recipient. Although a semi-open adoption may be an option in an international adoption, it would be a very rare situation. The biological parents of many children available for adoption internationally are often unknown. If the parents are known, most biological parents prefer a closed adoption due to a social stigma that is often attached to these parents for placing their child for adoption, causing them to prefer anonymity.
Health Issues: What types of medical conditions are you open to?
In domestic adoption, you will often know the birth parent's medical and social history. This will include any history of medical conditions in the birth parent's immediate and extended family such as cancer, ADHD, depression, diabetes, etc. You will also receive a copy of your child's prenatal records and records from the child's birth and delivery. However, in some international adoptions, this information may not be available to you. If it is important that you receive your child's medical history, then domestic adoption may be the choice for you. While it is still possible to receive this information in some international adoptions, this often varies country by country. If you choose to pursue an international adoption, speak to your Adoption Specialist regarding your ability to receive this information and what countries may be the best options for you to receive this type of information.
Additionally, you should carefully consider which medical conditions you are open to. While you may be open a family history of diabetes, you may not feel comfortable adopting a child whose family history contains another medical condition. Carefully consider all of the possibilities and weigh their importance to you -- if it is important to know your child's medical history, then domestic adoption may be your choice. If you are comfortable receiving limited or no information regarding your child's medical history, then international adoption may be the choice for you.
Age: What age of child do you prefer?
Age is an important factor when considering which type of adoption is best for you. If you truly hope to adopt a newborn or young infant, then domestic adoption may be your choice. In domestic adoption, parents are usually able to take their baby home from the hospital, giving that full "newborn" experience. However, in an international adoption, the child will be older. While it is possible to adopt an infant internationally, the child will often be several months old by the time you are able to return home. However, not all countries have infants available for adoption. Many times, the children available for adoption are 1 year or older. If you are open to adopting an older infant or child, then international adoption may be choice for you. If you wish to adopt an older child domestically, then you may want to consider a child available for adoption through your state's foster care system.
Gender: Do you have a gender preference?
If you have your heart set on pink or blue specifically, you have choices both domestically and internationally. With domestic adoptions, there can be additional costs because additional advertising and counseling is often required. Internationally, there are typically not increased costs associated with being gender specific although not every country offers such a choice. For more information on our gender-specific option call 1-800-ADOPTION.
Domestic or international?
There are many differences in domestic and international adoption, including the age of the child, travel requirements and legal considerations. If you prefer to adopt a newborn or infant and are weary of traveling far distances, then domestic adoption may be the choice for you. If pursing adoption, you should also consider whether or not you are willing travel out-of-state for the adoption and how far you are willing to travel. However, if you are open to adopting an older infant or child and are able to travel overseas, then international adoption may be the choice for you. Additionally, if a closed adoption is most important to you, an international adoption may be your preferred option.
Budget is one of the most important aspects of deciding which type of adoption is best for you. At American Adoptions, you are able to place a cap on your domestic adoption expenses, ensuring that your adoption costs stay within your comfortable range. However, that is not say that an international adoption isn't equally affordable - many international adoptions cost the same as a domestic adoption.
