An unexpected pregnancy can lead to asking yourself some questions you never thought you’d have to ask. Questions such as: Am I ready to be a parent? Should I get an abortion? How much of an option is adoption? These are natural questions to ask and at  Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass, our trained team can answer any of them. Today this blog is going to focus on adoption and commonly asked questions about the process. For more information, give us a call at (541) 479-6264 today.

How Can I Afford to Go Through Adoption?
In many cases, systems are in place to provide birth mothers with support during the adoption process. Depending on the situation, you may be able to get financial assistance for your medical appointment. You can even get your daily cost of living covered and get material assistance. To learn about what services are available in your area, reach out to the staff at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass today!  We’d love to discuss your pregnancy options with you.
 

How Do I Know If My Baby Will Go To a Good Home?

An in-detail home study will be done at multiple points of the adoption process for any prospective parent. During the home study, every detail of their home and family will be evaluated.

Many things will be checked during their home study, such as:

- Criminal background 
- Medical background
- Religious background
- Family background
- Job security & Income
- Home conditions

The parents will be interviewed multiple times and, if the prospective parents have any children, they will be interviewed as well. All of this is done to make sure that children are placed in a safe and loving home.
 

Choosing Adoption

If you do decide on adoption as your pregnancy decision, you will have to choose the type of adoption process you would like: open adoption, semi-closed adoption, or closed adoption. Each of these options provides you with the ability to choose what is best for you and your child.
 

Choosing an Open Adoption

Open adoptions are perfect if you are wanting to stay in contact with your child. You will be able to provide your child with the ability to live the life you desire for them, while also being a part of that process at a level that is agreed upon between yourself and the adoptive parents. In some cases, you will be able to attend sports games, recitals, and graduations. In others, the contact is restricted, such as only phone calls that are made on birthdays and holidays. The level of contact really just depends on what you desire as the birth parent and can agree upon with the adoptive parents.
 

Choosing a Semi-Open Adoption

If the idea of an open adoption seems a bit too much, then a semi-open adoption process may be more of an option for yourself. In many semi-open adoption cases, an adoption professional mediates information between both sides pre-adoption and post-adoption. During this process identifiable information is hidden and you never meet the adoptive parents in person, allowing you anonymity during the adoption process. After the adoption is finalized, you can request letters and updates on your child from the adoptive family that will be passed to your adoption mediator and then on to you.
 

Choosing a Closed Adoption

A closed adoption is probably exactly how you imagine. This being that communication is not held between the birth parents, prospective parents, and the child during or after the adoption process. This was the most popular adoption option during the 1980s, but has recently seen a large drop off in popularity, as it showed negative impacts for the birth mother and their child over time. This has led to a surge of open adoptions and semi-open adoption being the preferred option.
 

Can I Change My Mind?

Yes, at any moment you can change your mind and choose to parent up until the moment you surrender your parental rights. Once those rights have been waived, changes can no longer be made. Leading up to the moment you give up your parental rights, you will have many conversations with your adoption advocate over the idea of changing your mind. During this time, no agency will pressure you one way or another.

Now, what if the adoption process is complete and you want to change the terms? It depends a little on the situation. Say you have chosen an open adoption, but wish to change it to a closed adoption. Depending on the situation, it can be done. In most states, it's more of an agreement between the birth parents and adoptive parents. Some states do have the option to make the decision a legally binding contract, but with most states, it's difficult to enforce and open adoption can be closed.

There is always the chance that a closed adoption changes to an open adoption. For example, your birth child at the age of eighteen can decide they want to know about their birth parents and request information about their adoption and reach out to you to establish contact. Of course, whether you decide to have a relationship after they reach out is up to you.
 

How We Can Help

Choosing adoption takes courage and love. We know this isn’t an easy decision, so we do our best to help along the way. One of the ways we do this is by getting you set up directly with the right adoption agency for you! If adoption is something you want to move forward with or if you have more questions about adoption, don’t hesitate to reach out to the staff at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass. Our team is ready to help you as you navigate your pregnancy journey while making sure you are empowered with each step you take. You can give us a call anytime at (541) 479-6264 to request an appointment; all of our services are free and confidential.