This section includes resources to assist in considering adoption options for your child, including State and local examples.
Adoption: Frequently Asked Questions
American Pregnancy Association
Provides answers to questions about types of adoptions, fathers' rights, legal aspects, and more.
A Birth Parent's Bill of Rights (PDF - 101 KB)
American Adoption Congress (2008)
Outlines 14 rights to which expectant parents considering placing a baby in an adoptive home are entitled.
Birthparents' Voices
Adoptive Families Magazine
Offers highly personal stories from birth parents on making an adoption plan, placing a child with adoptive parents, search and reunion, and more.
Expectant Parents
Insight: Open Adoption Resources and Support
Illustrates relevant topics in the decision-making process.
The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade
Fessler (2006)
View Abstract
Presents personal stories of women who surrendered a newborn for adoption in the years between the end of World War II and the 1973 passage of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.
Guidelines for Choosing a Family
American Pregnancy Association
Lists questions that birth parents may want to consider when searching for an adoptive family for their child.
Resources
Infant Adoption Awareness Training Initiative
Includes information about open adoption, answers to frequently asked questions about adoption laws in all States, and resource guides with referral information and resources on parenting and on adoption for expectant parents in 25 States.
National Foster Care and Adoption Directory
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Provides contact information for a variety of adoption organizations and services, including support groups for birth parents. Download the NFCAD mobile app.
Safeguarding the Rights and Well-Being of Birth Parents in the Adoption Process
Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute (2006)
Presents findings and recommendations based on a yearlong examination and analysis of research, literature, interviews, and experiences on the rights of birth parents in domestic infant adoption.
So I Was Thinking About Adoption: Considering Your Choices
Caldwell (2008)
View Abstract
Explores myths about adoption, reviewing reasons why women adopt, and key considerations to think about before deciding to parent a child. It is a book intended for expectant adolescents.
State and local examples
Information for Birth Parents
Oregon Department of Human Services
Lists resources for birth parents, including links to child welfare offices, Safe Haven facilities, counseling options, and social services support.
Making a Decision About Your Pregnancy (PDF - 896 KB)
State of Alaska Department of Health and Human Services (2005)
Provides an overview of the emotional, legal, and practical aspects of making an adoption plan. Includes links to State resources.