What You can You Expect in a Nevada Closed Adoption

When you first consider adoption, you might be thinking that there isn’t much variation in what kind of adoption you can enter into as a birth mother. However, there isn’t one single type of adoption. As a birth mother, you get to tailor how much contact you want in your adoption plan to your needs and wants, including whether you want to enter into an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. While the vast majority of adoptions in the past were closed, most adoptions today are open or semi-open. Even though Nevada closed adoption is not as commonly pursued today, it is still a valid choice, and it just might be the right fit for you. That’s why Adoption Choices of Nevada wants to shed some light on what you can expect in a closed adoption to help you get on track to making an informed decision for you and your baby.

Anonymity in the Closed Adoption Process

One of the key characteristics of a closed adoption is that you will not have any contact with the adoptive family during the adoption process. You won’t even exchange each other’s full names or any other identifying personal information for maximum privacy.

If you aren’t communicating with the adoptive family, then how will your adoption process work out? There’s no need to worry. Your adoption specialist at Adoption Choices of Nevada will coordinate with the adoptive family’s adoption specialist to ensure that the adoption process goes smoothly. Even though you will not meet the adoptive family, it’s important to communicate to your adoption specialist what characteristics you want your child’s adoptive parents to have. That way, your adoption specialist can select an adoptive family that you can be confident will provide the baby with the life you have envisioned and hoped for them.

Your Hospital Experience in a Closed Adoption

Your adoption specialist will communicate with the adoptive family or their adoption specialist to let them know your due date and where you plan to deliver, as well as if any of those plans change. Even though you will not interact with them during your hospital stay, they will still be there to bring the baby home. You are still in charge of your hospital birth plan even in a closed adoption, so you can choose to spend time with the baby before the adoptive family takes him or her home.

Closed Adoption Post Placement

Just as you have no contact with the adoptive family during the adoption process, you will not have any opportunities to meet or communicate with them or the baby you placed in any way after you relinquish your parental rights. Since you exchanged no personal information with the adoptive family during the adoption process, they will not be able to pass any information about you down to your birth child. When the child turns 18, he or she may be able to access information about you through the adoption agency. Until then, the closed nature of the adoption is nearly irreversible.

Experiencing the Benefits of Closed Adoptions

After you place your birth child with his or her adoptive family, you may feel relieved over not having to bear the burden of parenthood. Closed adoption may also give you a greater sense of closure than open or semi-open adoption can offer. However, this varies from woman to woman. By closing the door on this period in your life, you might feel better prepared to move on and heal. You may also appreciate the additional privacy that comes with closed adoption. If you choose closed adoption to keep your birth child safe from individuals in your life who may threaten you or your baby’s safety, you can be confident that the child will remain anonymous.

Facing the Disadvantages of Closed Adoption

While there are benefits to choosing closed adoption, you also need to consider potential disadvantages and whether they outweigh the benefits before following through with it. Since the terms of the adoption are irreversible once you sign over your parental rights to the adoptive parents, you will not likely be able to reunite with your birth child even if you change your mind afterward. Even if you are initially at peace with your decision, over time, you might find yourself wishing you knew more about the child you placed for adoption. Another disadvantage of closed adoption is that it can be difficult to communicate important medical information to the adoptive family, such as being diagnosed with a genetic disease or learning you are predisposed to develop one.

Is Closed Adoption Right for Me?

Now that you have been introduced to what you can expect in a closed adoption, you can begin to evaluate whether it will yield the best outcomes for you and your baby. By reaching out to Adoption Choices of Nevada, you will have access to the guidance and resources necessary to explore all your options to determine if closed adoption is right for you.

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno) | 775-738-4673 (Elko) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).

Meet the Author: Mary DeStefano is an Ohio native currently living in northern Virginia and works in the litigation consulting industry where she has experience in antitrust, product liability, and mass torts matters. She holds a B.A. in Economics (‘15) and an M.A. in Applied Economics (‘16) from the University of Cincinnati.

Mary is passionate about empowering and supporting those involved in the adoption and surrogacy processes. She finds great meaning in wielding the written word to develop impactful narratives and to help people stay informed. In her spare time, Mary can be found beachcombing and going on other adventures with her dog along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. She also has an affinity for antiquing and loves a good 80’s movie marathon.