Considering Adoption?
Some of the signs of a healthy adoption include thorough adoption counseling for the expectant mother, zero pressure from the adoption coordinators, and an understanding of how adoption affects everyone.
Choosing to place your child for adoption is a difficult decision, but sometimes the hardest decisions we make in life turn out to be the best. If parenting your child is not possible, making an adoption plan may fit your needs and goals best.
What Is Adoption?
Adoption is the process whereby the biological parents transfer their parental rights and responsibilities to an adoptive person or couple who becomes the legal parent(s) of the child. Legal adoption is a permanent decision. It is not co-parenting. Once finalized, the decision cannot be reversed.
Making An Adoption Plan
If working with a reputable, licensed child-placing agency, the biological parents should never pay for any adoption services. In Pennsylvania, the expectant mother has all medical and hospital expenses for prenatal care covered.
She also receives coverage for all childbirth-related medical and hospital expenses, as well as counseling and legal fees.
The expectant mother, or birth mother, can choose the adoptive couple who will raise her child and the amount of contact she wishes to have with the adoptive family after finalization.
Pennsylvania law requires a birth mother to wait 72 hours before signing adoption papers. She has up to 30 days from the time of birth and when consent is signed to make a final decision.
Three Adoption Plans to Choose From
The expectant mother, or birth mother, chooses the plan that is best for her.
Open Adoption
The expectant mother, or birth mother, has the option of selecting the adoptive parents. Contact continues between the parties after the adoption is completed. Together, they agree to exchange some form of identifying information, such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, or emails.
Semi-Open Adoption
With a semi-open plan, the expectant mother, or birth mother, chooses the adoptive parents. They agree to communicate with one another, but all communication passes through the adoption coordinator first. This plan provides more privacy for both the adoptive parents and birth parents.
Closed Adoption
For complete anonymity, the expectant mother, or birth mother, should choose this plan. With a closed adoption, the adoptive parents and the birth mother do not exchange information, and there is no communication between the parties. The courts seal the original birth certificate.
Learn More Today
Cornerstone Reproductive Health is not a licensed child-placing agency. However, we can provide referrals to reputable, licensed coordinators in our area.
Be sure to receive thorough adoption counseling to decide if making an adoption plan is right for you and your child. Schedule a free and confidential appointment with us to discuss this option and others.
