Copyright © 2004 Choice to Live With, Inc.

 

Having a closed adoption can make the feelings of grief and loss more difficult to get through, since there is a lack of information about the child’s safety and happiness and because there is no relationship between birthparents and child.

 

You may feel that you are abandoning your baby since you do not have the ability to communicate with the child.

 

Even though a medical history is given prior to the adoption, there is no direct means for getting additional information easily to the adoptive parents should there be a need in your child’s life.

 

Whether with medical histories, family trees, or culture, a child of a closed adoption has limited access to information. This lack of information may leave the child with lots of unanswered questions.

 

It may be easier for you to doubt your decision to place your baby for adoption since there is no opportunity to communicate with the child.

 

An absence of information about the child’s well-being combined negative emotions pertaining to the adoption placement may make you more susceptible to depression.

 

You may feel you have less control because you need to rely on the agency to communicate on your behalf with the adoptive family.

 

There is a chance that an older child may struggle more with identity issues because of the lack of communication with the birth family.

 

Disadvantages to Closed Adoption

 

Disadvantages will differ from individual to individual and even from adoption to adoption.  Read through the most common disadvantages, and try to decide which ones you feel will effect you and your child and which ones won't really impact you as you decide.