Alternatives to Abortion: Open Adoption or Closed

Written by: Linda Buice, STPRC volunteer

Our peer-counselors will help you dispel the myths about adoption and explore the types of adoptions available. Before you make a decision we want to help you know all of your options.

Open adoption is one choice available and is defined as an adoption that involves contact between biological and adoptive parents and sometimes between biological parents and the adopted child.[1]This is a broad definition and individual situations might look different based on the choices and needs of each client.
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Open adoption options might include:

• Getting to knowing the adoptive parents before the birth (perhaps letting them be present for the birth)
• Ongoing direct contact between the birth parent and the adoptive family after the birth
• No direct contact with adoptive family, but after the birth letters and pictures sent through the agency or another third party

Perhaps as your life situation changes, the choice for contact may change. The open adoption leaves more choices for communication.[2] Maybe you have your own ideas on how to be involved and communicate with adoptive parents.

In a closed adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive families will not have contact with one another. This is private and the identities of each party are not known.[3]The Pregnancy Resource Center is not an adoption agency, but can help connect you with agencies that specialize in them. Our qualified peer-counselors will connect you with an adoption agency that can help you make an adoption plan that will work for you. The STPRC can even help you prepare questions ahead of the contact.

As stated in the previous blog post, not only is adoption an opportunity for your future, it also ensures the future of your unborn child by providing what you may not be able to give at this time in your life. There are many wonderful families looking for adoption opportunities. We can help connect you to reputable adoption agencies and even facilitate a meeting between the agency and you in the STPRC’s office.

The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of other resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors. Our services are kept confidential. We are here to help you. Contact us  today for an appointment.
 


[1]"Open Adoption." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 June 2017.

[2]Reisser, TeriMA, MFT. “Adoption Options.” Parenting, Focus on the Family, 2010.

[3]Reisser, TeriMA, MFT. “Adoption Options.” Parenting, Focus on the Family, 2010.