Can I Place My Baby for Adoption if I am Pregnant and Addicted?
If you are pregnant and struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol, the first thing you should know is that we can support you. Whether or not you choose adoption for your baby, we can help you talk about the options that are available to you and resources that can help you become stronger while you decide if adoption is right for you. We understand the complexity of addiction and will never judge you for facing those challenges. You are reading this information, which means you understand how important it is.Dealing with an unplanned or stressful pregnancy is hard enough- being pregnant and addicted to drugs or alcohol is even harder. Considering adoption for your baby if you are facing addiction to drugs or alcohol is an option. You should know that there are loving, qualified families who are ready to adopt your baby, regardless of his or her needs, and that we can support you through this process. Here’s how we can help.
How Do We Screen Pregnant Women?
Many women who are facing addiction during pregnancy are concerned that they will get in trouble if they seek help from medical professionals or community programs. When you contact Adoptions Together, your adoption counselor will meet with you to talk about your unique situation an learn more about how we can assist you. If you decide to make an adoption plan for your baby, we can help you to get prenatal care, stable housing, food, clothing and some other needs during your pregnancy. If you are struggling with addiction, these resources might also include addiction counseling and care to ensure you and your baby are as safe and healthy as possible.
When a woman decides to give a baby up for adoption, our counselors will ask her to provide us with some information about her health history so that we can share that information with the adoptive family. This information includes a basic health history, whether or not there are any heritable health conditions present in the baby’s family, and other information that might be important to the adoptive parents as the baby grows. Information about drug and alcohol use is important, but it will never be used to get a birth mother in trouble or to judge her.
What is NOT Included in Our Screening Process?
If you decide to meet with an adoption counselor to pursue adoption for your baby, drug testing is not part of the process. We do not drug test as part of the adoption planning journey. Information you disclose to us is voluntary. This means you can choose to reveal as much or as little information about your addiction as you feel comfortable doing. As your adoption agency, we promise to do the following:
- Support you in the decision-making process by providing you with all of your options. We will never influence your decision or try to convince you to choose adoption, regardless of the challenges you may be facing- addiction or otherwise.
- Never judge you. Addiction is a mental health challenge that many people from all backgrounds face throughout their lives. We understand this and respect you deeply for reaching out to us for help. We are here to support you.
- Trust you. We believe that the best decisions in adoption and parenting are based on trust. We will trust the things you disclose to us about your addiction, and trust in your ability to make the best decisions for you and your baby.
- Help you. We will help you in the ways you need us. Whether or not you choose to place your baby for adoption, we can help you through this process. Addiction and pregnancy are not easy. We are here to support you.
Struggling with addiction can make difficult decisions seem overwhelming. We know that in order to be the best parent for a baby, it is important to be a strong, healthy individual. It is possible to recover from addiction while you are pregnant and become a supportive parent. If you decide to parent your baby, the first step you must take is getting into recovery from your addiction.
For pregnant women facing addiction, adoption is a beneficial option for many reasons. First, adoption is not “giving up” your baby. Most adoptions today are open, which means you can continue to have contact with the adoptive family as your child grows. This allows you to seek treatment for your addiction and gives your baby the opportunity to thrive with a family that is fully prepared to raise him or her.
Second, although you may believe the opposite is true, there are many waiting adoptive families who are ready and prepared to parent a baby who has been exposed to drugs or alcohol. All adoptive parents undergo training to help them care for the type of child they will adopt. If your baby has been exposed to drugs or alcohol, the adoptive family you choose will be fully prepared to raise him or her, regardless of their needs as they grow.
Finally, adoption is a choice that you make for your baby that shows you are aware of your challenges with addiction. If you are pregnant and using drugs or alcohol, it is important to know that many doctors and hospitals will routinely test you for substances during prenatal visits. While Adoptions Together will never test you for drugs, testing positive at a doctor’s office or hospital during your pregnancy can trigger an investigation by Child Protective Services that complicates custody of your baby once he or she is born. Working with a licensed adoption agency can help to ensure that plans for you and your baby are established before you give birth.
How We Help Pregnant Women Facing Addiction
Since 1990, Adoptions Together has worked with thousands of pregnant women considering adoption as they struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol. We have established long-standing community relationships that help us to quickly and effectively set up support systems for pregnant women who need substance abuse treatment, prenatal addiction counseling and other forms of assistance.
If you are pregnant, addicted to drugs or alcohol and need help, we’re here for you.
