Ethical Issues in Adoption: Rights, Contact, and Health

Introduction: Adoption and Its Ethical Dimensions

Adoption is a benefit to birth parents, their children, and to adoptive parents. In many cases, all three parties involved in the process — as well as secondary parties such as relatives and society at large — benefit from a smooth adoptive process. As more and more couples turn to adoption as a solution to an inability to bear children, or as an alternative to natural childbirth, a number of ethical questions arise. On the one hand, adoption is inherently humane: an unwanted child needs a home, and a willing, competent family or individual is able to provide the necessary love and care. However, beneath that straightforward premise lies a host of issues, including the right of the birth mother or father to contact the child; the right of the adoptive parent or parents to obtain genetic or other information about the biological parents; and the right of the child to know about his or her birth parents.

In some cases, access to the birth parents' health records could be essential to the well-being of the child. For example, the child might be susceptible to a genetic illness or predisposed to mental health problems such as addiction. Even in cases where no medical condition is suspected, access to the birth mother's records may simply be a matter of concern or curiosity. When a mother gives up her child for adoption, she does relinquish some — if not all — of her rights to be with that child. For instance, it would be completely unethical to remove the child from his or her adoptive home: not only the child, but the adoptive parents and siblings, would be adversely affected by such a move. However, the birth mother did carry the child to term and therefore shares an intimate connection with the child, even if she chose not to raise it.

In some cases, the adoptive and birth parents make a verbal or contractual agreement to stay in touch so that both sets of parents can remain a part of the child's life. Situations like these are rare but not entirely unheard of. According to Britannica's overview of adoption, open and semi-open arrangements have grown more common as attitudes toward adoption have evolved. When the ethics of adoption are considered as a whole, the rights and needs of all parties concerned should be taken into account so that no prejudices or biases prevent the formation of loving relationships. A balanced view of adoption is the key to forming an ethical vision or policy, and each case should be considered on its own merits. There can be no rigid, universal rules guiding the formation of public policy in this area.

The Risks of Birth Parent Contact

In some cases, allowing the birth mother to contact her child could be detrimental to all parties. If the birth mother is capable of harming or kidnapping the child, disastrous results could ensue. That is an extreme example; more common occurrences include the intense emotional trauma that all parties may face. The birth mother might feel profound shame and guilt upon meeting — or even just speaking by phone with — the child she gave up. If she is already prone to depression or addiction, such an emotional burden could become unbearable and damaging to her health.

Similarly, the child, no matter how old and even if already an adult, could experience emotional trauma upon contact with the birth mother. Lingering feelings of shame and resentment could rise to the surface, leading to mental or physical health problems. Contact with the birth mother might also intensify the child's sense of inferiority and insecurity, particularly if he or she has siblings who were not adopted or who were adopted separately. Moreover, forming a relationship with the birth mother could adversely affect the child's relationship with the adoptive parent or parents, especially the adoptive mother. The adoptive parent might feel resentful of the new bond being built between her child and the birth mother, wondering whether the child truly valued her years of effort at childrearing. Research on adoption psychology from the American Psychological Association acknowledges that these relational tensions are real and must be managed thoughtfully.