What’s the difference between open vs. closed adoption? Which is more common today?

In a closed adoption, the birth parents have no contact with the adoptive parents or the child throughout the process. An open adoption encompasses a wide range of communication and contact between both parties during and after the adoption. While there are pros and cons to each form of adoption, open adoptions or semi-open adoptions are the more popular option today. Until the last two decades, however, closed adoptions were the most common.

Understanding Closed Adoption
A true closed adoption means that the birth parents and the adoptive parents are matched up through a third party, such as an adoption agency. There is no contact between the parties and sparse information about the birth parents gets passed along. Usually, the only information provided consists of any medical history, hair and eye color, age and race. Records are sealed and can only be opened up again with a court order. Closed adoptions are rare in the United State today, but the practice is still common with some international adoptions.

The Move Toward Open Adoption
Adoption agencies in the United States generally factor in some form of open adoption. Some of the policies in place may allow the birth mother to review profiles of eager childless couples and make a selection for her unborn child. Many agencies facilitate meetings between the two parties a few times or several times, depending on desire. Many adoptive parents are even in the delivery room with the birth mother. Some families maintain contact long after the birth, with the birth parent or parents acting as a supportive participant of the child’s life. The degree of open adoption can be customized to the desires of both parties.

Legally, the adoptive parents have no obligation to honor any form of open adoption. Once the adoption is legalized, the birth parents have given up any right to be involved in the child’s life. While many adoptive parents do honor the verbal agreements made during an open adoption, they are within their rights to terminate contact at any time.

Leading up to the adoption, both parties should be thoroughly informed of their legal rights or lack thereof.  Both parties should also carefully review the pros and cons of both types of adoption, as well as the possibilities that exist in the middle of the road.