As potential adoptive parents, you worry about more than a birth mother changing her mind. Did she get the prenatal care you want her to have? Will she have a healthy delivery? What if her baby is born prematurely?
According to data, one in ten births in the U.S. is premature. No single cause exists, and it’s difficult to predict whether a woman will deliver prematurely.
Rest assured, as a potential adoptive couple, your adoption will follow the same process as if the birth mom delivered full term. Let’s take a closer look.
What Designates a Premature Birth?
A “preemie” is a baby born alive before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. The baby may also suffer from a low birth weight, which is considered anything under 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Premature birth can cause health risks to a newborn, often requiring time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Common issues include breathing difficulties or feeding problems. Generally, a premature baby isn’t released from the NICU until they gain weight steadily, feed regularly, and breathe normally.
What Does It Mean for the Adoptive Parents?
Hospitals vary in their adoption rules regarding the potential adoptive parents’ contact with their baby. Rules can vary by state laws, the individual facility, or the birth mother’s hospital plan.
After the baby’s birth, a birth mother has a state-designated amount of time before she can sign a “General Consent to Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption” or a “specific consent,” which names the adoptive family she’s specifically chosen. In Missouri, she must wait 48 hours after giving birth before she can sign termination papers.
Patient confidentiality is most important. When a birth mother gives birth prematurely, she may sign termination papers as soon as she’s legally allowed to, or she may wait until the time the baby is discharged. Until legal relinquishment and adoption consent papers are officially signed and verified, the birth mother maintains full parental rights.
For adoptive parents to have contact with their child, the birth mother will already have terminated her parental rights, you have a pre-adoption custody order, or the birth mother has given you permission to receive information or visit your baby.
Do You Have More Questions?
Adoption is emotionally challenging for everyone involved. When there is a premature birth, both the birth family and adoptive parents worry about the baby they may eventually share.
The team at A Gift of Hope Adoptions is happy to answer your questions and concerns. We understand the anxiety an adoption can cause.
If you are a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy and have questions about the adoption process, please call or text us at (888) 564-HOPE (4673) or chat with us online. If you’re a couple hoping to adopt, fill out our online contact form.
We are a nonprofit, ethical adoption agency offering long-term support and care. How can we help you today?
This blog is for informational purposes only. This is not legal or medical advice. While we try our best to reflect current laws with accuracy at the time of writing, please note that the laws can change over time.