If you have been thinking about putting your baby up for adoption, you have probably been referred to a counseling center to help you evaluate your options and choose the right adoption path for your situation. One of the things that the adoption counselors will tell you is that you can choose between open and closed adoptions. In a closed adoption, neither you nor the adoptive parents know each other's names, addresses, or any other personal information. In an open adoption, however, you are able to maintain contact. Here are some of the benefits of open adoption.
Easier Transition
For some birth parents, that transition of passing their child to the adoptive household can be an emotionally difficult one. This is especially true with closed adoption because then you have no idea where your child is or who they have become.
Opting for an open adoption can make this transition much easier. As the birth parent, you'll be able to maintain a relationship with your child and the adoptive parents so that you can still see your child grow up and you'll have the peace of mind that he or she is loved, supported, and cared for.
Thorough Medical Protection
One common problem that adoptive parents encounter, particularly with a closed adoption, is having little to no information about the child's family, including medical histories. Since some medical issues are genetic, including certain allergies and some neurological conditions, it's important to be familiar with these medical histories to identify risk factors.
With a closed adoption, that's simply not possible. Your child will not have the benefit of family medical histories to simplify things, nor will there be an easy way to contact your family for a genetic match in the event that an organ donor or something similar is needed. An open adoption eliminates all of these worries. You'll be able to share your family's medical history with the adoptive parents and be there should a medical emergency necessitate a genetic link.
Protects Your Child
One of the most important but often overlooked benefits of open adoption is the protection that it offers the adopted child. Many children of adoption only find out about their adoption later in life, which leads them to an identity crisis and a search for their biological parents in an effort to know where they come from.
You can prevent this emotional crisis and identity search from the beginning by opting for open adoption and remaining part of your child's life even if you cannot raise him or her personally at this stage of life.
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