Contemplating Adoption

Teen pregnancy causes many emotional changes for a young woman. Making a choice that is right for you can be difficult. Discussing your adoption options with a counselor might help. This article has tips to help you if you are contemplating adoption.

The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse lists some professional counseling that is free or cost very little such as: 

  • Crisis pregnancy center – A place where they only talk with pregnant women. It might even have a maternity center attached where you could live until the baby is born. 
  • Family planning clinic – A place where women get birth control information or pregnancy tests.  
  • Adoption agency – A good choice if you are already leaning strongly towards adoption.  
  • Health Department or Social Services – A food stamps or welfare worker can direct you to a proper clinic or department.  
  • Mental health center or family service agency – Counselors here help people in all kinds of situations.

It can be difficult to make the decision to place a child for adoption.  It is an act of much love and it takes great courage.  Adoption is a permanent decision.  Teen pregnancy intensifies feelings and emotions.  Contemplate the reasons you might be considering adoption.  Money problems and difficult living situations might be temporary.  Discover if Social Services or perhaps friends and family might be of assistance.  If you have considered these things and still want adoption, you will then feel more comfortable about your decision.

Potential adoptive parents are carefully selected and are visited a number of times by a social worker.  Once an adoption agency approves adoptive parents for placement, they are confident they will make good parents and that they are decent people who really want to care for children.  Most adopted children in time realize their birth parents placed them for adoption out of love – it was the best they knew what to do.  Hopefully they’ll realize many of their wonderful traits come from you. If you decide to place your child for adoption because it is what you think is best, then it is a good decision.  You can move forward and not feel guilty.