Misunderstanding surrounds adoption. Women fear they won’t know who adopts their child or where they’ve gone.

Today’s adoption process is very different. Now, it’s the expectant mother or birth mother who chooses the adoptive couple and the life she wants her child to have. Take a closer look at the pros and cons of choosing adoption.

What Is Adoption?

Adoption is the legal process that permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities of parenting from the biological parents to the adoptive parents. It is not co-parenting.

Benefits of Adoption

No one denies that adoption is a tough choice to make. Choosing to place a child for adoption requires thorough counseling and a complete understanding of the decision you are making.

There are many benefits to creating an adoption plan. Here are a few:

• As the expectant mother or birth mother, you select the family who will raise your child.
• You decide the type and amount of contact you wish to have with your child and their adoptive family. You can choose between an open, semi-open, or closed adoption.
• You can continue to pursue your education or career without the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting.
• Your child is raised in a loving, stable, two-parent home.
• Adoption services cost you nothing. In South Carolina, you can receive court-approved reimbursement for necessary medical expenses, reasonable living expenses, and legal costs.

Things to Consider

Making an adoption plan is emotionally challenging. Although you’ve given birth, others will raise your child. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• You will not be a part of your child’s life on a day-to-day basis.
• There is a period of grief and sadness requiring thorough counseling.
• Others close to you may not understand your decision or might be unsupportive.
• Although you are your child’s biological mother, you will need to establish a separate relationship.

Making Your Adoption Decision

There are many reasons why women choose to place their child for adoption. Perhaps they are in an unhealthy relationship, do not have safe housing, are currently raising other children, or feel they’re the wrong age. Your reasons are profoundly personal and valid.

The only way to determine if making an adoption plan is right for you is to speak with an adoption specialist. Although Hope Women’s Center is not a licensed child-placing agency, we can provide referrals to reputable, licensed adoption coordinators who can assist you.

Please schedule a free and confidential appointment to discuss adoption and your other options. We’re here to help.