Open adoption is not more humane. In many countries it is not legal for Prospective Adoptive Parents to meet with young mothers-to-be--to get to know and "befriend" the young vulnerable pregnant woman...Why? Because it is recognized that such "open adoption" practices are by their very nature coercive. "Getting to know" the PAPs or having them present at the birth understandably make it far more difficult for the young vulnerable mother to change her mind and choose to parent her child. She may be afraid to disappoint and "hurt" the PAPs. She may believe she "owes" them her child.
Pray tell, how are such common open adoption practices more humane?
Also, in most states open adoption agreements are not legally binding. The surrendering mother has no rights and if the adoptive parents decide "it is in the best interest of "their" child and their family' they can choose to sever contact and leave the natural mother with no recourse, and no contact--just the bitter taste of broken promises. Legally there are no repercussions for the adoptive parents: they hold all the power.
Fessler has done a good job researching the Baby Scoop Era. Perhaps she should expand her research and start talking to mothers from the post Roe v Wade era where "open" adoption has become so fashionable
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Pray tell, how are such common open adoption practices more humane?
Also, in most states open adoption agreements are not legally binding. The surrendering mother has no rights and if the adoptive parents decide "it is in the best interest of "their" child and their family' they can choose to sever contact and leave the natural mother with no recourse, and no contact--just the bitter taste of broken promises. Legally there are no repercussions for the adoptive parents: they hold all the power.
Fessler has done a good job researching the Baby Scoop Era. Perhaps she should expand her research and start talking to mothers from the post Roe v Wade era where "open" adoption has become so fashionable