Does the birth father have to agree to adoption? How do I tell him about my adoption plan? What if I’m pursuing adoption when the father is unknown, uninvolved or unsupportive?

If you are a pregnant woman considering adoption and you have questions like these, you are not alone. Whether you are working with a supportive, unsupportive, unknown or uninvolved birth father, it’s important to understand his rights and role in the adoption process.

Each state has different laws about birth father rights that may affect the adoption. An adoption specialist can discuss birth father rights in your state and help you understand the birth father’s rights and role in your individual adoption situation.

And just as you will create your own post-adoption plan with the adoptive family, so too can the birth father, whether he is involved or uninvolved in the adoption. In the articles below, you will find much more information about the rights of birth fathers and how they may or may not affect the adoption.