Private adoption

During an 18-month period 219 couples and 3 single women were counselled concerning private, non-agency adoption. Ninety-seven clients adopted privately a total of 105 babies. Thirty-one other couples are still actively pursuing adoption, 39 are no longer pursuing adoption, 13 became pregnant, 9 adopted through an agency, and 33 were lost to follow-up. One hundred of the 105 adopted babies were placed with the family directly from the hospital at 2 to 3 days of age. The majority of the adopting parents had a baby in their home within 4 months of the time they actively began trying to adopt. Four babies were reclaimed by the biologic mother before the adoption was finalized in court, but three of the couples that lost these babies adopted again. The average cost of a private adoption in this series was $3300. Private adoption is an important alternative to agency adoption.