Reproductive Loss
Domestic News
​This page offers summaries and links to domestic news articles related to science and legislation on reproductive loss likely to be of interest to our audience.
Abortion
Moment Adopted Millennial Woman Meets Biological Mom for First Time (By Lucy Notarantonio)
March 22, 2025
Kristy Moore, a 36-year-old adopted woman from Salinas, California, recently shared the emotional moment she met her birth mother for the first time in almost four decades. Her birth mother, also named Kristy, placed her for adoption at age 15, and Moore always knew about her adoption, maintaining contact via her adoptive parents. Although Moore initially felt no urgent need to connect, things changed in 2021 after her biological grandfather's passing, motivating her to meet her biological family while she still could. As an adoptive mother herself, Moore wanted to show her daughter that connecting with her biological family could be positive. Their emotional reunion in Arizona was captured in a viral Instagram video, amassing over 274,000 views. Moore described feeling calm during their first hug and quickly bonding with her biological relatives, including her half-brothers. She praised the instant familial connection, noting the reunion felt natural and comfortable. The experience sparked widespread online support and discussion, resonating with many viewers. Moore emphasized her gratitude towards her adoptive family, acknowledging she never felt incomplete without her birth mother but found the reunion deeply meaningful. The families remain close, planning future meetings and strengthening their bond.
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She Had an Abortion after a Botched Paternity Test. Now She's Suing the DNA Company. (By Chris Glorioso)
March 21, 2025
In October 2024, a New York woman faced a critical decision after a paternity test showed her unborn baby belonged to a man with whom she had a brief encounter, not her fiancé. Trusting the results, she terminated the five-month pregnancy to preserve her relationship. Four months later, DNA Diagnostics Center, which conducted the test, informed her of an error: the man from the fling had a 0% chance of being the father, meaning her fiancé was the biological parent. Devastated, she says she would never have chosen abortion if the initial results had been correct. Now suing DNA Diagnostics for negligence, she claims the company's mistake ruined her potential family life. DNA Diagnostics declined to detail how the mistake occurred, maintaining their tests are reliable and accurate. The woman felt uncomfortable when she was directed to a Bronx business for a sample collection that shared a physical location with a beauty salon. DNA Diagnostics has conducted over 20 million tests since 1995, emphasizing established practices and procedures. The woman feels betrayed, believing the company's error cost her a family and future with the person she had planned to marry.
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Montana 'Abortion Trafficking' Bill Could Criminalize Crossing State Lines for an Abortion (By Elizabeth Nolan Brown)
February 26, 2025
The new Montana bill, House Bill 609, would establish the criminal offense of “abortion trafficking,” punishing anyone who transports a pregnant woman in or out of the state for an abortion considered illegal in Montana with up to five years’ imprisonment or a $1,000 fine. Although Montana currently allows abortion until fetal viability, the proposed legislation focuses on abortions after viability. The measure has been introduced at a time when Republicans across various states are advancing similarly phrased bills, restricting or punishing those seeking abortions, including minors. Supporters claim the bill only targets post-viability abortions, but critics worry it could be expanded if the state decides to ban abortions earlier. Legislation in Idaho and Iowa aims to limit other activities through similarly broad or vague language. Meanwhile, bills that would punish abortion as homicide are emerging in states like Indiana, South Carolina, and Kentucky.
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Supreme Court Turns Away Bid to Overturn 25-Year-Old Decision on Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones (By Melissa Quinn)
February 24, 2025
The Supreme Court declined to revisit a 25-year-old ruling that upheld buffer zones outside abortion facilities, turning away two appeals from anti-abortion groups who asked to overturn Hill v. Colorado. That 2000 decision allowed states to create protective perimeters, or buffer zones, around facilities offering abortion services. The justices' refusal indicates no new abortion-related dispute will be on the court’s current docket, following its two major abortion cases in the previous term. The first involved access to medication abortion pills, while the second addressed Idaho’s near-total ban in light of a federal emergency care law. While most justices declined to hear the challenge, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito disagreed. Thomas wrote that the 2000 precedent had been “seriously undermined” and criticized the Court for not clarifying its standing. He declared the refusal an “abdication of our judicial duty,” urging reconsideration.
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NYT Admits the Ugly Truth: Planned Parenthood is a Corrupt, Dangerous Train Wreck (By Sarah Neely)
February 21, 2025
The New York Times recently published a revealing exposé on the widespread issues within Planned Parenthood, surprising given the paper’s typically pro-abortion stance. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman noted the alleged incompetence, taxpayer waste, lawsuits, and staff concerns outlined in the piece only confirm the warnings his organization has issued for years. The article cites interviews with over 50 current and former employees, few of whom had positive comments, indicating that Planned Parenthood may be losing credibility in the public’s eyes. Operation Rescue staff have documented botched abortions, insufficient training, and troubling 911 call records, reinforcing claims that the organization’s standards are unsafe and unethical. The article by a traditionally supportive publication raises essential questions regarding the future of Planned Parenthood and its role in reproductive healthcare in addition to heightening scrutiny nationwide.
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Texas’ Abortion Pill Lawsuit Against New York Doctor Marks New Challenge to Interstate Telemedicine (By Sean Murphey, Michael Hill, and Geoff Mulvihill)
​December 13, 2024
Texas has filed a lawsuit against a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine to a Texas resident, challenging state laws prohibiting such actions. The case raises significant questions about the reach of state laws into other jurisdictions, particularly in light of New York's "shield laws," which protect out-of-state providers from legal repercussions for offering abortion services. Texas seeks substantial damages and an injunction to prevent further prescriptions to its residents. This lawsuit could set a critical precedent for interstate telemedicine practices and the clash between states with restrictive and protective stances on reproductive healthcare access.
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Number of US Abortions Fell by Only 2% After Wave of State Bans, CDC Report Reveals (By Carter Sherman)
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November 27, 2024
The number of abortions performed in the U.S. fell by only 2% in 2022, according to the first major report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since Roe v. Wade was overturned in the United States. The findings released Wednesday showed that U.S. abortion rates have surprisingly risen in the years since the Dobbs decision. In 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortions and restrictions on the procedure, the U.S. saw more abortions, the highest number in more than a decade.
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Pregnancy Centers Suing Minnesota Clinics, Politicians over Abortion Laws (By Nick Longworth)
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November 22, 2024
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of several health centers, doctors, and women, argues Minnesota’s abortion laws violate the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment. The lawsuit alleges that Minnesota’s current abortion laws collectively provide "the irreparable termination of the pregnant mother’s relationship with her child by terminating the life of her child without providing any due process protections." Several defendants are listed in the litigation, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
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Three States Renew Their Effort to Reduce Access to the Abortion Drug Mifepristone (By Mulvhill)
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October 16, 2024
Three states are renewing a legal push to restrict access to abortion medication, including reinstating requirements for in-person dispensing as opposed to mail. Kansas, Idaho, and Missouri specifically seek to bar mifepristone after seven weeks gestation instead of 10 weeks, adding three in-person doctor office visits. The filing seeking to sue the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was made in a federal court in Texas, where the case was returned after the U.S. Supreme Court in June unanimously agreed to keep federal changes that eased access to the medication. The states’ attorneys argued there is legal standing because access to abortion medication undermines “state abortion laws and frustrates state law enforcement.”
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Tracking Abortion Bans Across the Country (By McCann and Schoenfeld Walker)
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September 17, 2024
Twenty-two U.S. states ban abortion or restrict the procedure earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade. In some states, abortion battles are still going on in courtrooms, often because abortion advocates have sued in attempts to block bans and restrictions. In other states, there has been a movement toward expanding access to abortion through the advent of new legal protections.
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Abortion Measures on the Ballot in 41 States, Voters to Have Say on Other Tough Questions (By Lieb)
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August 29, 2024
Abortion Measures on the Ballot in 41 States, Voters to Have Say on Other Tough Questions (By Lieb)
August 29, 2024
Initiatives dealing with abortion have exploded in response to the 2022 Dobbs ruling, ending the Federal right to abortion and shifting the issue to the states. At least nine states will consider constitutional amendments enshrining abortion rights. These include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman.
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Exclusive: Inside the Supreme Court’s negotiations and compromise on Idaho’s abortion ban (by Joan Biskupic)
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July 29, 2024
In January, the Supreme court took allowed Idaho to enforce its ban on abortion with an exception only to prevent the death of a pregnant woman. This ruling occurred despite the ongoing challenge from the Biden administration, arguing it intruded on Federal protections related to emergency room care. No vote was made public, but CNN learned the split was 6-3, with all six Republican-nominated conservatives backing Idaho, over objections from the three Democratic-appointed liberals.
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Iowa Abortion Law Takes Effect (by Amanda Rooker)
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July 29, 2024
Iowa's law banning most abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy went into effect Monday morning. Iowa women seeking an abortion are required to receive an ultrasound to make sure no cardiac activity can be detected, typically at six weeks of pregnancy. The law does has some narrow exceptions: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has a fetal abnormality "incompatible with life"; or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the patient.
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Tracking abortion laws across the United States (by Carter Sherman and Andrew Witherspoon with additional reporting by Jessica Glenza and Poppy Noor).
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July 29, 2024
The US supreme court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade eliminated the national right to abortion, resulting in numerous state-level battles over abortion regulations. In the two years since the landmark decision to eradicate Roe, 14 states have near-total abortion bans. Four states – Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Iowa – have banned abortion beyond approximately six weeks. Other states have passed laws or held ballot referendums in an effort to protect abortion rights.
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A state-by-state breakdown of abortion laws 2 years after Roe was overturned A total of 14 states have ceased nearly all abortion services. (By Kekatos)
June 22, 2024
Two years have elapsed since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to an abortion leaving decisions whether or not to restrict access to the states. At this juncture,14 states have outlawed nearly all abortion services and 3 states have six-week bans on the procedure, according to an ABC News tally.
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Abortion rights: Tracking state lawsuits two years after Roe reversal (By Pierson)
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June 20, 2024
The author reports that nearly 2 years after the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, litigation over abortion has exploded. Numerous state court cases are challenging various aspects of abortion bans or restrictions imposed by over 20 Republican-led states. Many key issues remain unresolved, and one abortion case is before the Supreme Court. The author looks at the different kinds of lawsuits pending and the locations of these challenges around the county.
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What the data says about abortion in the U.S. (by Diamant and colleagues).
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March 25, 2024
A Pew Research Center survey was administered almost a year following the Supreme Court’s decision ending the constitutional right to abortion in the U.S. Results revealed that 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, whereas 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. An earlier survey from a few months before the decision demonstrated that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue.
Medication Abortion Accounted for 63% of All US Abortions in 2023—An Increase from 53% in 2020 (By Jones and Friedrich-Karnik)
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March 19, 2024
There were approximately 642,700 medication U.S. abortions, or 63% of all abortions in the formal health care system, in 2023. In contrast, in 2020, medication abortions accounted for 53% of all abortions. Self-managed medication abortions, which are believed to be on the rise and take place outside of the formal health care system (e.g., pills ordered online), were not factored into the statistics provided by the Guttmacher Institute.
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Miscarriage/Still Birth
Travelers Warned About ‘Next Zika’ that can Cause Brain Swelling, Vomiting and Miscarriage — it’s Already Come to the US (By McKenzie Beard)
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March 18, 2025
Health experts warn travelers of the rising number of cases of the Oropouche virus, or "sloth fever," emerging in vacation destinations across South America and the Caribbean. Spread by the bites of mosquitoes and midges, the virus was initially identified in sloths in 1955, primarily affecting regions near the Amazon Basin. Recently, however, cases have appeared among U.S. and Canadian tourists returning from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru, sparking concerns over its expanding geographic reach. The symptoms typically resolve within a week, although some individuals may experience recurrent issues. Severe complications can include excessive bleeding, brain swelling, or Guillain-Barré syndrome, although fatalities are rare. Pregnant women face serious risks, as infections can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects like microcephaly. There is no vaccine or specific treatment; managing symptoms involves rest, hydration, and pain relievers excluding aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs. The CDC advises travelers to minimize risk by using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and considering condom use due to recent evidence of potential sexual transmission. The likelihood of widespread transmission within the continental U.S. remains low; however, isolated cases could still occur, urging caution among travelers.
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Late Pregnancy Loss More Common in the South
(By Elizabeth Cohen)
March 6, 2025
Late-stage pregnancy loss, or stillbirth, is significantly more common in the Southern United States compared to other regions, according to a new report from the health advocacy group United States of Care. Southern states experience fetal mortality rates nearly three times higher than elsewhere, linked to factors like lack of Medicaid expansion, inadequate prenatal care, and large rural populations. The South also has higher rates of postpartum depression and preterm births. Black women face especially high risks, experiencing fetal loss at double the rate of other groups, driven by higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and stress. Contributing factors include insufficient access to healthcare, with many Southern women uninsured or living in maternity care deserts. Experts fear outcomes may worsen due to proposed Medicaid cuts and ongoing provider shortages. Solutions range from technology-driven methods, such as AI predicting complications, to practical programs providing transportation and nurse-home visits to pregnant women. Specialists emphasize the need for broader investment and systemic changes to break the cycle of poor maternal health in the South, as maternal and fetal mortality rates across the U.S. remain high compared to other developed countries.
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Hold the Phone: UT Team Aims To Reduce Stillbirth Rates With Smartphone Technology
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January 28, 2024
A leading maternal-fetal medicine program is uniting with renowned advanced supercomputing resources. Researchers and clinicians at the University of Texas at Austin are working on ways to reduce stillbirth rates. Stillbirth is defined as pregnancy loss after 28 weeks and it tragically takes place every 16 seconds around the world. Approximately 20,000 stillbirths occur annually in the U.S. Traditional, manual methods for tracking fetal movements, like maternal “kick counts,” are only about 30% accurate. Maternal-fetal medicine specialist Kenneth Moise, M.D., and Kelly Gaither, Ph.D., are creating an algorithm that uses smartphone audio recordings to detect fetal movements. Early pilot studies have shown a rate of over 70% accuracy for detecting fetal activity. The algorithm also tracks fetal breathing movements, an essential indicator of health. The research involves monitoring 25 pregnant women over five visits, combining ultrasound for control data with smartphone audio and traditional kick counts. With support from the Texas Advanced Computing Center’s advanced data capabilities, the project aims to offer a noninvasive, real-time solution that reduces maternal anxiety and informs clinical decision-making. This approach could eventually provide an accessible smartphone app to enable parents and physicians to intervene earlier and reduce stillbirth rates.
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Views from My Front Door Camera’: After Miscarriage, a Community’s Quiet Acts of Love Bring Healing (By Jordan Fink).
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November 28, 2024
With over 7.5 million views, the video titled “Views From My Front Door Camera After My Miscarriage” has impacted millions worldwide. In the video, family, friends, and even delivery drivers drop off meals, flowers, and small tokens of love at a woman’s doorstep after she has suffered from a miscarriage. As noted by the journalist, “It’s not just a video—it’s a testament to the power of showing up for someone in their time of need.”
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PWFA Requires Accommodation for Stillbirth, EEOC Says in Now-Settled Lawsuit (By Kalser)
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October 28, 2024
A Florida resort allegedly violated the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act and the ADA by not accommodating an employee who requested leave to grieve her stillborn child. Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, agreed to a $100,000 settlement in response to allegations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The resort failed to accommodate and fired the line cook after she asked for leave. Lago Mar agreed to a three-year consent decree requiring the resort to revise its PWFA/ADA policies, provide training to staff, and report every six months to the EEOC for the duration of the consent decree.
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U of U Health at Forefront of Stillbirth Research and Grieving with Heartbroken Parents (By University of Utah Health)
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October 22, 2024
More than 20,000 babies die before birth in the U.S. Those who have lost babies are speaking up for more support, research, and funding to address this critical issue.
As quoted in this article, "Stillbirth has been receiving a lot of attention over the last year or two in the United States compared to the past, and it has been driven by bereaved parents who have suffered a stillbirth," said Robert M. Silver, MD, chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at University of Utah Health. "They have been lobbying Congress and have affected legislation." Dr. Silver has devoted his career to stillbirth prevention and better care for people who have suffered through pregnancy loss. He is a leading stillbirth researcher, and his advocacy for those impacted has helped fund and open
U of U Health's Stillbirth Center of Excellence and Pregnancy After Loss Program.
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Higher-quality research and the use of existing prevention strategies are needed to reduce the stillbirth rate in the U.S. Recently published data indicates that up to 25% of all stillbirths in the U.S. are preventable. D. Silver contends that efforts to lower the stillbirth rate must be grounded in establishing the causes of death.
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How to Recognize the Signs of Miscarriage (By Brusie)
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September 16, 2024
Miscarriage is defined as the involuntary loss of a pregnancy within the first 20 weeks of gestation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has noted that 10% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and 80% of miscarriages happen early, in the first trimester. The true miscarriage rate is actually much higher, with approximately 30 to 40% of all conceptions resulting in a pregnancy loss, according to Helain Landy, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Hospital. Most miscarriages occur before women know they're pregnant or before pregnancies are confirmed. Not all miscarriages have symptoms before diagnosis, but there are some common signs to be aware of:
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Uterine cramps
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Vaginal bleeding
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Pain in the abdomen, pelvic area, or lower back
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Decreased fetal movement
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What’s the difference between miscarriage and stillbirth?
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July 29, 2024
Both miscarriage and stillbirth can be traumatic life events for parents and family, and the impact of both can be enduring. The terms are sometimes confused, and the purpose of this report is to highlight some similarities and differences between the two forms of loss. The author explains the reasons why distinctions are important.
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Article Link
Why Little is Known About What Causes Many Pregnancies to End in Miscarriage (PBS News Hour’s Courtney Norris reports)
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June 23, 2024
Approximately 1 million pregnancies in the U.S. end each year in miscarriage. In up to 50% of cases, doctors are unable to explain why, and experts believe stigma and shame are a deterrent to efforts to learn about what causes miscarriages.
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Article Link
Minnesota mom hopes federal stillbirth law will protect others from grief (By Cobb & Crann)
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June 17, 2024
A stillbirth prevention law is headed to President Biden's desk after passing the U.S. Senate. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act allocates millions of dollars to stillbirth prevention. The Centers for Disease Control define “stillbirth” as the loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy. There are approximately 20,000 stillbirths in the U.S. each year. Experts believe 25% of these could be prevented. Amanda Duffy, a Twin Cities mother who had a stillborn daughter has lobbied in Washington D.C. for the ACT to be signed into law.
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Miscarriage is common. These researchers are on a mission to better understand why (by Norris & Liesendahl)
June 13, 2024
The authors of this story remind us that up to a million annual miscarriages occur in the United States. However, in most cases, the cause is not investigated or identified until a woman experiences multiple losses. Up to half of miscarriages and stillbirths have no explanation. Stigma and shame often lead people to avoid discussing it. Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester of pregnancy, with chromosomal abnormalities operating as the main reason. Little is known about other reasons/contributing factors. The study of miscarriages is hindered by difficulties connecting with patients after the loss and recruitment of patients for clinical trials has been historically challenging.
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Six Things Everyone Needs to Know About Stillbirths (By Burrows)
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March 1, 2024
For families who lose a child on the same day they welcome him or her to the world, talking to others may feel difficult. However, according to Heather Florescue, MD, telling their child’s story can promote healing among bereaved parents. Dr. Florescue works closely with such families, ensuring a comforting ear hears their stories. She was just awarded the 2024 Physician of the Year award from the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network and works diligently to share stillbirth prevention and awareness information. In this article, the six things everyone needs to know about Stillbirth are described:
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All pregnancy loss is not the same.
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Stillbirths are not rare.
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People who have lost a child likely want to talk.
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Stillbirths do not always have a clear cause.
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You know your baby.
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Support is available.
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California’s New Miscarriage Law Gives Boost to Rare Leave Type (By Marr)
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October 20, 2023
California’s new policy guaranteeing employees time off following a miscarriage or other reproductive loss is part of a new movement to provide leave for grief and recovery. The new California measure (SB 848) requires businesses to grant workers up to five days off following a reproductive loss (miscarriage or stillbirth, a failed adoption, in-vitro fertilization, or surrogacy). No time off is offered for abortion.
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Adoption
One Mom’s Mission to Undo Decades-Old Adoption Stigma and Help Birth Moms see the ‘Big Picture’ (By Nancy Flanders)
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February 10, 2025
After adopting her daughter Sydney from a teenage birth mother, Terri Marcroft founded “Unplanned Good”, advocating for open adoption. Sydney’s birth mother chose life and maintained contact while moving forward with her own life. Marcroft notes that adoptions have generally shifted from closed to open, allowing birth mothers to choose adoptive parents and foster ongoing relationships. Currently, over 90% of U.S. adoptions include some degree of openness, which Marcroft says encourages transparency and healthy connections for everyone involved. She challenges the misconception that abortion is easier, pointing out the potential for regret and grief. In contrast, open adoption empowers birth mothers to offer their children a stable, prepared family while still being part of their lives. Although the process can be challenging and emotionally charged, Marcroft has witnessed birth mothers feeling great pride in the decision to place their child for adoption and gratitude for choosing life and hope for the future.
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A New Bench, A New Rule: How One Western Mass Judge Upended the State’s Adoption Procedure (By Zichang Liu)
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January 1, 2025
A recent ruling by a western Massachusetts judge has significantly altered the state's adoption procedures, particularly affecting out-of-state birth parents seeking to place their children with Massachusetts families. Previously, such adoptions proceeded smoothly, but the new interpretation of the law has introduced unexpected challenges and stress for prospective adoptive families. This shift has led to increased scrutiny and complications in the adoption process, prompting concerns among adoption agencies and legal experts about the potential impact on adoption in Massachusetts.
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Improving the Foster Care and Adoption Systems in the United States (By Todd-Smith, PhD)
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January 8, 2024
Available data indicates that 391,000 children in the U.S. are currently in foster care, and 33% of foster children experience instability with a minimum of 3 annual placements, highlighting a crucial need for improved placement mechanisms that encourage stable environments. Sadly, 20% of youth aging out of the foster care system face immediate homelessness, evidence of systemic failure to provide sufficient support for the transition to adulthood.
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The author notes that reforms should include increased support for faith-based organizations, expanded tax credits for foster families, more support for parents, and better data on children in foster care to improve placement decisions. Prevention efforts also need improvement through programs designed to promote healthy families and decrease the number of children entering foster care.
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N.Y. reconsidering adoption policies following controversial policy change reversal (By Hogan)
May 24, 2024
Adoption policies in NY could change after a memo caused an outcry by would-be parents. New York’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) came under intense scrutiny after announcing a limit on financial support that adoptive parents can provide to birth mothers. Under the current law, adoptive parents can provide financial support to pregnant moms for up to 3 months, and the money can go to maternity clothes and/or transportation to doctor appointments. The agency paused enforcement of the policy and is now reconsidering it. A state spokeswoman indicated that the agency has “retracted” the controversial letter and OCFS will be holding meetings with adoption industry stakeholders in early June to reassess policies. Even though the decision was reversed, critics want the state to explain its policy more fully. Finally, experts contend that New York needs laws that are compatible with other states to help guarantee more children get matched with families.
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A Realistic Adoption Timeline for Hopeful Parents, According to an Expert (By Nieslanik)
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Feburary 21, 2024
There are over 100,000 children eligible for adoption in the U.S. foster care system each day, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. The adoption process typically begins with hopeful adoptive parents attending pre-adoption information sessions, reviewing their state's adoption laws, and choosing an adoption service provider, agency, or attorney to assist. This step generally takes between one and three months and a realistic time-line of the full process is provided in this article.
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The Untold Stories of Birth Mothers (By Andrea González-Ramírez)
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February 27, 2024
Sociologist Gretchen Sisson has observed that the adoption industry in the United States is based on one inconvenient truth. “For every family that is formed by adoption, you have a family that’s separated by adoption.” The narratives that dominate the collective understanding of adoption promote the notion that the process is inherently good for everyone involved. This involves reduction of birth mothers’ experiences to the decision to place for adoption as they pursue “a better life” or no representation at all. The circumstances that factor into relinquishment of a child in the first place and the grief experienced as a result are rarely reflected in the public record. Sisson’s recently published a new book on adoption focused on the journey of birth mothers, titled “Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood.” Sisson interviewed over 100 women who placed their infants for domestic adoption in the United States between 2000 and 2020. The mothers’ stories challenge the feel-good narratives that are persistent in the industry.
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