Open or Closed Adoption?
When making an adoption plan, we believe it is your choice whether you choose an open or closed adoption. An adoption plan should reflect what you feel is in your and your baby’s best interests. Adoption education is a great way to ensure you have all the knowledge to make the best decision. Approximately 95% of women making an adoption plan choose open adoption. We are here to help you with understanding open adoptions and what they may look like.
Understanding what open adoption is
Open adoption is when the adoptive and birth families share identifying information and have contact with each other during and after the adoption process. You decide how much contact you want with the adoptive family throughout your pregnancy and after the baby is placed with the adoptive family. You may also request periodic pictures and emails from the family, phone calls, occasional visits, or whatever other types of contact you prefer. Open adoption may be very open or semi-open, depending on the relationship you would like with the adoptive family and your child and on the frequency of contact. In an open adoption, you and the adoptive family can get to know each other throughout your pregnancy through phone calls, email exchanges, and, sometimes, a visit.
The benefits of open adoption
Before you decide on what type of adoption will be best for you and your baby, understand why open adoption is beneficial to all three sides of the adoption triad (adoptee, birth parents, and adoptive parents.) There are numerous benefits to open adoption. Some of the benefits include seeing your child grow and thrive in their adoptive family, having a relationship with your child and the adoptive family, providing medical information, and allowing your child to know and understand all about their adoption. However, these examples are only some of the many benefits of open adoption.
How open adoption works
When you make your adoption plan and choose an open adoption, we will present you with adoptive family profiles that reflect and share your communication preferences. However, you will select the adoptive family. The relationship you build with the adoptive family will also correlate with the quality and frequency of communication you will have. Ultimately, the goal of an open adoption is for all members of the adoption triad to benefit from the communication and relationship created within the open adoption.
Still have more questions about open adoption?
We at Building Arizona Families and AZ Pregnancy Help are here for you. We are available by telephone or text 24/7 @ (623) 695-4112.
