Adoption Services: Unplanned Pregnancy Options

If you are in the process of deciding whether adoption is right for you and your baby, we want to make sure you understand all of your options, whether or not you finally choose adoption.

Pact helps birth parents to find families yearning to adopt their African American, Latino, Asian, Native American and multiracial children born anywhere in the United States. Pact recruits families who want to adopt children of color as their first choice.

There are many elements to consider when you are facing an unplanned pregnancy. Maybe you are just beginning to explore your pregnancy options. Maybe you feel sure that an adoption plan is best for your child. Perhaps you hope for ongoing contact with your child after adoption placement known as Open Adoption, or maybe you want to minimize your involvement.

In Open Adoption, expectant parents are able to select the adoptive family their baby will be placed with, and have the option to stay in contact with them and their child throughout the child’s life. Click to learn more about: Open Adoption.

Whatever your feelings, we can help. We can help you consider and work through the complex issues of your unplanned pregnancy and we will respect your needs for privacy. We can also assist you in understanding your legal rights and can arrange for counseling, medical and legal adoption services. Pact's adoption services are always provided free of charge to expectant parents.

Click here to find some of our best articles, essays, and reviews on the experience of placing your baby for adoption: Birth Parents, Birth Families in Adoption.

Most expectant parents come to Pact with a lot of questions. Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions and how we answer them.

Where do I begin?

If you want to start working with Pact right away, we can begin to help you as soon as we have received your Birth Parent Forms, which will help us learn about you and your situation, as well as satisfy legal requirements for adoption. Once we have received your forms, the next step is Consultation, where we talk with you about your pregnancy options. If you decide to make an adoption plan, we will move forward into the Placement process. Pact works with families looking to adopt children of color as their first choice. If you do place your child, Pact staff will remain available to you for consultations during and after placement.

What does Pact do?

Pact can help you...

• make parenting choices.
  First, we will help you consider ways of keeping your family intact. If you choose adoption, you need to understand that it will be a difficult path. Adoption is a permanent choice which cannot be undone later. You will need to be prepared for the journey.

• take care of yourself.
  We can help you understand whether you can get financial help with costs related to your unplanned pregnancy. We will help you secure appropriate medical care, counseling, emotional support, legal advice, housing and anything else necessary to meet your needs and relieve your stress.

• choose an adoptive family.
  If you decide to place your baby for adoption, you will have choices to make. What kind of family are you looking for? Introductions to adoptive parents are based on the match between their needs and expectations and yours.

• understand more about adoption.
  Adoptions work best when everyone thinks of the other people involved first. What will your child need? Can you imagine some of the issues prospective adoptive parents are facing? Does how you plan the adoption now make a difference later?

• find your own answers.
  How will you respond to other people's opinions if you choose to place your baby for adoption? How will your child feel about you later? What if you change your mind?

• anticipate grief and loss.
  How will you let go of your baby? Anticipating your grief in advance will help you prepare. Placing a child for adoption is difficult no matter how right it is for you and your child. There are no short cuts, but planning and talking it out helps.

• move forward in your life.
  What kind of ongoing contact do you want with your child? What are your goals and plans? How will you feel in five years? ten?

Continue to Consultation »

return to top ^