MyFertilityGuide

According to Resolve: The National Infertility Association, of the approximately 135,000 adoptions that take place every year in the United States, only about 9.5 percent are infant adoptions. This means that only 13,000 babies are adopted as infants each year, making the competition for each one intense and expensive.

How Long Does it Take To Adopt a Baby?

The amount of time between conception of the idea and the actual homecoming of the newborn varies according to the individual circumstance. Occasionally, a relatively quick placement of a few months may break the sound barrier in terms of the norm in baby adoption but this is extremely rare. Expect to wait a few years before being matched with an infant, and even longer if you have race or gender preferences.

How Much Does it Cost To Adopt a Baby?

The average cost to adopt an infant is between $10,000 and $15,000 with the price dropping as low as $5000 in some cases and rising as high as $40,000 in others.

• Adoption agencies - $4,000 to $40,000. Usually includes all legal work, birth costs, home study and application, counseling, pre-adoption education and post-adoption care.
• Private adoptions - $8,000 to $40,000. This isn’t allowed in every state due to the possibility for fraud but where it is allowed the money saved on agency overhead is spent on advertising, medical costs and legal fees.

What is the Process for Adopting a Baby?

Adopting a newborn is step-by-step process:

1. Choose between an unlicensed adoption facilitator or agency, attorney and/or licensed adoption agency.
2. Fill out the paperwork. Documentation such as you and your partner’s birth certificates, social security card, picture identification, marriage license, tax return, and financial statement will be needed as well as a valid TB test and fingerprinting.
3. Undergo a home study. More documentation will need to be procured upon request.
4. Education and counseling. The period between your acceptance as an appropriate parent and the homecoming of your baby can be long and uneventful. It is recommended the prospective parents stay hooked into the process with pre-adoption classes, counseling, and support groups.
5. Wait. Until your new baby is born and the final papers are drawn up, it’s all that prospective parents can do.
6. Welcome your new baby.

The Possibilities

Adopting a newborn is the first choice of many prospective parents, but opening your mind to the possibilities may increase your chances. Consider the possibility of any gender, any race and multiple children.