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Essay about Domestic vs International Adoption

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In today's society, the idea of adoption is an open and welcome one. However, the biggest decision in adoption today is whether to adopt domestically or internationally. There is a very large growing trend in international adoptions today. Compared to adoption rates in 1987, in 2004 international adoptions had risen over 200% as compared to an 8% rise in domestic adoptions. After World War II, international adoptions began to rise because Americans began adopting European and Japanese war orphans. However, this was not the only reason for international adoptions. Desperate poverty and social upheaval such as the one child law in China, are factors that have led others to adopt from Latin America and China. Also, after the Child …show more content…

Next, a couple must realize that in both international and domestic adoptions, there is a risk of the adoption not working out. In a domestic adoption, birth mothers can change their mind until they sign the legal paperwork. Each state varies on their time frames a birth mother can sign her paperwork, however most states allow the birth mother to sign 48-72 hours after the baby is born. From that point on, in most states, the birth mother cannot change her mind. In international adoptions countries can and do shut down all adoptions in their country. This means any adoptions in the process are stopped. You could be interested in adopting a certain child and it is not uncommon for the orphanage to promise this child to several agencies. The orphanage's goal is to place the children as soon as possible. On the plus side though, international adoptions are more lenient on who they let adopt. This can be a positive for many couples wanting to adopt that are not allowed to adopt domestically. Specifically, homosexual couples are welcomed in international adoptions, yet in some states are not legally allowed to adopt. Also, there are age restrictions for parents over the age of forty that do not apply for international adoption. One of the biggest factors couples consider, especially concerning international adoptions is the idea of travel. In a domestic adoption only

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