A Few Facts

Here are a few facts about domestic adoption from Adoptive Families:

• 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
• In a 2007 Adoptive Families survey, the majority of respondents were matched with a birthmother in less than 12 months
• 15% got "the call" to travel after the baby had already been born, without a prematch.
• 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
• Estimated Cost: $15,000 to $25,000. Costs can total considerably more in certain circumstances.
• Parent Ages: There are no legal restrictions in most states, but many or most birth families select the family for their child, so parents who are younger than 25 or older than 45 may wait longer to be selected
• Travel: The adoptive family must satisfy the laws of the state where the baby is born before they can bring the child to a different state. Depending on the state, this may take just a day or two or several weeks