Adoption Network Law Center

Adoption Network Law Center – ANLC
Despite myths to the contrary, domestic newborn adoption remains alive and well in the United States. Current estimates of the annual number of infants adopted domestically (excluding foster and relative adoption) range from 25,000 to 30,000—more than all international adoptions combined. Moreover, the process can go much more swiftly that you might imagine. In a 2008 Adoptive Families survey, the majority of respondents were matched with a birthmother in less than 12 months, and 19% got “the call” to travel after the baby had already been born, without a prematch.
ANLC is a law center, not an agency, facilitator or law firm.
In most U.S. newborn adoptions, adoptive parents are selected by the birthparents of the child, and, in at least half of the cases, the birthparents and adoptive parents have met. Domestic adopters usually appreciate the opportunity to build a relationship with their child’s birth family. Ongoing contact is increasingly common, but the extent of contact varies significantly. A baby cannot legally be relinquished before birth. Most experts advise prospective adoptive parents to be careful about making an emotional commitment to a potential birthmother too early in her pregnancy.
Depending on the situation, and the laws of the state where the family lives and where the baby is born, prospective adoptive parents may cover some of the living and medical expenses of the birthmother.
If you’re just starting on the adoption journey, the wide array of choices before you can seem daunting at first–with each varying considerably from the next! With more options come more decisions, each with its own emotional and financial risks and benefits. To help you find the right path, here’s an overview of common routes to adoption.
Adopting a domestic infant via an adoption agency










