There is a lot of misinformation about adoption that prevent mothers from moving forwrd with that option (see this post for myth surrounding adoption.) Second, for some sub-cultures in the USA, offering a child for adoption is not culturally acceptable, regardless of its benefits. Last, for a variety of reasons, community support centers tend to be better equipped to counsel and support mothers on parenting than on the adoption option.
Given the above, if mothers were better informed on this option, much more than 15% of them would be opent to adoption and more than 1-2% would benefit from this alternative. Back to the questions at hand: Who do women choose the adoption option? According to a study from the Opt Institute, here are the most common reasons women consider adoption for their unplanned pregnancies:
- Feeling unprepared financially to raise a child
- Wanting to do what’s best for the child
- Desiring to benefit a family that wants to adopt a child
- Recognizing their lack of maturity to raise a child
Those are all great reason to give this often-overlooked option a second look.
