Indiana's Safe Haven law has been in effect for eight years. During that time, the law has turned potentially tragic circumstances into happy endings.

"A young woman at a local university with an unplanned pregnancy....delivered the child and dropped her off at Parkview North Hospital. Within days, Natalie was adopted by Roy and Theresa Hammond of Fort Wayne."

Natalie is now four years old, and was given the honor of blowing out the candles at a party celebrating the Safe Haven law's eighth year. In 2007 Nebraska became the 50th U.S. state to enact a Safe Haven law. Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Labels: laws, safe_houses, unwanted_pregancy

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When Patricia Dischler was 21 years old, pregnant and unwed, she knew an adoption plan was the best choice for her baby. But she also knew that she couldn't just let him go, never knowing if he was healthy or happy, so she insisted on an open adoption.

"Keeping the birthmother in the family has become more common since Dischler made her decision more than 20 years ago. But it doesn't mean the concerns - and subsequent scars - aren't difficult to deal with."

Dischler has recently written a book titled Because I Loved You: A Birthmother's View of Open Adoption chronicling her experiences and offering advice to both birthmothers and adoptive families. Her hope is that the book's content will be encouraging to those involved in or considering an adoption plan. Read more at GreenBayPressGazette.com.

Labels: open_adoption, teenage_pregnancy, unwanted_pregancy

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Guatemalan birth mothers who used false identities when placing their babies for adoption will have to face charges, says prosecutor Jaime Tecu. His comments reference an official probe into the Casa Quivira adoption agency that is alleged to have provided birth mothers with false identities so they wouldn't have to get permission from other family members to place their babies for adoption.

"In two of the five alleged false identity cases, the birth mothers assumed the identities of babies who were stillborn two decades ago. Two other mothers stole the identities of living women whom prosecutors later located."

Hanging in the balance are the futures of the women's children, all of whom had been in the process of being adopted. In Guatemala, only single mothers can unilaterally place their babies for adoption. In cases where the biological parents are married, both must agree to the decision, as must the couple's immediate family. Read more at SunTimes.com.

Labels: birth_parents, fraud, unwanted_pregancy

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A judge in Ohio has expressed concern over the fact that teenage girls are able to make adoption plans for their babies without the consent of the teen's parents. His comment was made in connection with a court ruling regarding a Canton teen that is fighting to regain custody of her biological daughter.

"Stephanie Bennett has been fighting to regain custody of her daughter, Evelyn, since 2006, saying she regretted her initial decision. Evelyn was only a few months old at the time."

Bennett has also accused the adoption agency, A Child's Waiting, of urging her to run away so that her parents couldn't interfere with her adoption decision. The agency has denied the charge, but is still under investigation by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Read more at Ohio.com.

Labels: teenage_pregnancy, unwanted_pregancy, consent

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Sherry and Karl Dittmar have found a new use for MySpace - finding women who may be considering making adoption plans for their unborn children. They have received over 1,700 messages since Monday the 23rd, though none of them have been from birth mothers.

"It wasn't clear if others had used the social site, popular primarily with young people, to find pregnant women considering adoption. Other Web sites specifically about adoption also post hopeful adoptive parents profiles."

The Dittmar's have a biological son and two adopted sons but would like to adopt a little girl. Read more at WCBSTV.com.

Labels: unwanted_pregancy, finding_birth_mothers, myspace

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In Kentucky, the Safe Infant Act has resulted in the adoption of nine babies over the last several years that may have otherwise been abandoned by their birth mothers. The Safe Infant Act allows parents to safely surrender babies who are up to 72 hours old. They can be taken to any hospital, EMS personnel, firefighter or police officer.

"The primary goal of the law is to keep babies from being abandoned with no one even knowing about it... Women who have hidden a pregnancy may be frightened, but they can ensure their baby will be safe and they can protect themselves with this law."

A parent who willingly surrenders a baby is given medical disclosure forms that will help determine the future needs of the child. After 30 days, parental rights are terminated, and the babies can then be adopted.

Read more at EMaxHealth.com.

Labels: abandonment, parental_rights, unwanted_pregancy

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Malaysian charity Orphancare recently created a place where parents can anonymously drop off newborn or infant children they’re unable to care for. Commonly referred to as a “baby hatch,” it’s Malaysia’s first.

“The charity hopes it will rescue more unwanted newborns, as the authorities seek to stem the rising number of abandoned babies. Close to 500 babies have been found abandoned since 2005. Some were left in Muslim prayer halls, on doorsteps and even in rubbish bins. Many are found dead.” [Source: BBC]

The baby hatch locks once a baby is placed inside. An air conditioner turns on, and an alarm is sounded, alertring Orphancare staff. While some fear that this will encourage promiscuity among young people, most are supportive of Orphancare’s efforts to protect unwanted babies.

 

Labels: abandonment, unwanted_pregancy

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