In past centuries, adoptions have been secretive affairs. Adopted children knew little of their birth parents if they even knew they were adopted. Fortunately, that is no longer the case, and Nevada women have options when it comes to the relationships they’d like to have with their children and their children’s adoptive families.

Here, we'll talk about open adoption in Nevada, what it means and how it benefits everyone involved in your Nevada adoption journey.

You can also complete our free online contact form or call 1-800-ADOPTION to get more information about open adoption.

What is open adoption, and how does it work in NV?

In an open adoption in Nevada, a baby’s birth parents and adoptive parents share communication without the assistance of an adoption professional to mediate. All parties share identifying information, and communication can occur via whatever method both parties are comfortable with, from texting to in-person visits. If you’re a pregnant woman who’s considering adoption and you want to get to know your child’s potential adoptive parents and maintain a relationship with them after placement, an open adoption could be perfect for you.

What does open adoption mean, though, really? It means significant benefits for all members of the adoption triad:

• As a pregnant woman, you can choose to pursue an open adoption in NV in order to maintain a relationship with your baby after placement. Choosing an adoptive family that agrees to the amount of interaction you wish to have with them and your child after placement will allow you to stay in contact and know how your baby is doing.

• For an adoptive family, open adoption is ideal because it allows them to stay up to date on the birth parents’ medical histories and to reach out should any health issues arise with the child.

• An adoptee perhaps gains the most from open adoption. In past days of shady and secret adoptions, children often knew nothing of their birth mothers. They couldn’t get to know them or understand their adoption decisions. Now, open adoptions in Nevada and throughout the U.S. allow adoptees to develop relationships with their birth parents and to understand just how much they’re loved.

Some women find, however, that a completely open adoption relationship can seem overwhelming. If you’re interested in the benefits of a Nevada open adoption but aren’t sure that you want quite so much freedom in your adoptive relationship, there is another type of adoption that may work well for you.

What is a semi-open adoption?

A mediated adoption, or semi-open adoption, is another option for Nevada women who want the benefits of open adoption. In a Nevada semi-open adoption, an adoption professional facilitates all contact between the adoptive family and birth parents. This means that no identifying information is shared, and contact can take place in the following ways:

• Conference calls prior to placement

• Personal visits prior to placement with your social worker and the adoptive family

• As much interaction as you’re comfortable with during your hospital stay

• Email exchanges

• Picture and letter updates of your baby sent after adoption through American Adoptions

Because semi-open adoption allows for the same benefits as an open adoption in Nevada, it’s estimated that about 95 percent of today’s adoptions are mediated.

What is a closed adoption?

As you may imagine, the closed adoption definition is the exact opposite of that of open adoption. A closed adoption in Nevada allows for no contact between an adoptive family and a baby’s birth parents after placement. While this isn’t generally recommended, sometimes a pregnant woman does wish to move on after an adoption and avoid contact that could be painful for her.

In a Nevada closed adoption, a pregnant woman can still choose:

• How the hospital stay should go. If you wish to interact with the adoptive family, that’s welcome. If not, that’s okay, too.

• Your child’s adoptive family. You won’t be given any identifying information, but you’ll still be shown adoptive family profiles to help you choose the right fit for your baby.

• To have future contact with your child and his or her adoptive family, if you end up deciding you do wish to receive pictures and letter updates.

In terms of debating between open adoption vs closed adoption in Nevada, there’s no question that open adoption is preferable in most scenarios. However, everyone is different; if a closed adoption makes you more comfortable, it’s your right to pursue it. 

To learn more about which type of adoption might be best for you and your baby, call 1-800-ADOPTION at any time to speak with an American Adoptions adoption specialist, for free and with no obligation to move forward with the adoption process.

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