Does Open Records Mean Increased Abortions?

LaurieDB

People are making a connection that just doesn't exist. According to the statistics, states that have never sealed records from adopted persons, along with states that have reopened records to adopted persons, do not have higher abortion rates than average. Further, there has been no increase in adoption rates for the states that have reopened records. These states have had decreases in abortions, in line with the decreases that have occurred nationwide.

Cam

Two things I think open records will do:

1) More bio moms will consider parenting.

2) More Paps will be open-minded about open adoption.

I don't think abortions will increase much, if at all.

Laurel J

Long answer: Nope. Decreased infant adoption rates in the US have more to do with the lifting of the stigma attached to single motherhood than with the legalization of abortion.

People still buy into this illusion because they feel it is in their best interests to buy into the idea that giving birth out of wedlock is a thing women should be ashamed of and punished for. Such people often also want to be their adoptee's one and only set of parents and pretend the first parents never existed. It's very easy and convenient for them to feel this way, particularly given that these beliefs are reinforced by the country's biggest and most well-funded adoption-related special interest group, the NCFA.

Short answer: Adoption is big business in the US of A.

Freckle Face

Same thing happened to me yesterday. My question was deleted for "not a question" too.

I do not think open records would have an affect on abortions either. I agree with Jennifer most infant adoptions are now open to semi-open these days in America.

Jennifer L

I don't think open records would affect the numbers of abortions as most of the infant adoptions now are open or semi-open anyway.

Kevin M

Well, the abortion rate has been slowly but steadily declining over the past few decades. While I'm sure this will eventually plateau, it still seems to suggest a negative correlation between abortion rate and open records.

Santa's Lil' Helper

Woman are going to have abortions for their own reasons....I think it's a falsity that it has to be that or adoption.

I say no. I agree with Jennifer and Mom5grls.

Petra

As a PAP this statement seems backwards to me... If anything I would think that open records would effect the number of adoptions not the number of births. I was under the impression that it was AP's moreso than BM's who would be more effected by open records. Now I am all for open records for adoptee, as in my opinion is it always about the child and his or her best interest and not the AP's or the BP's. Not matter what the case. So the most direct answer to your question is NO. I would think that if anything it would mean less adoptions and more children in foster care, at least for a while. Once it is considered the norm, and expected then I think things would level off.

Rainia W

I think open records actually encourages adoption although I don't know any of the Stats or anything. Most of the people I have talked to who weren't familiar with adoption were against putting up children for adoption because they thought the child could be abused/passed from foster home to foster home without their knowledge. I think a lot of potential bio-moms are more comfortable knowing they can have updates about their children if they want.

surfnerd

Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T.

No I don't think open records would really significantly affect abortion statistics..I believe you when you say they don't...

As I said when answering the question before.. I am 100% anti-abortion and make no apologies for it, anymore than I'd make for being anti-holocaust.. But even me, as one of the most "militant" (not in a "promoting violence way, BTW") pro-lifer's...wouldn't deny someone their birth records because it MIGHT cause some women (and from what I've been told by women who've had abortions.. it DOES) to chose abortion because they don't want the "knock at the door" 18 years down the line.. I have had women tell me that's why they chose abortion, but I also believe this is VERY rarely a major consideration..

Besides I think there's much more effective/important ways to work on lowering the abortion rate.. I won't go into them now, as I did in the other Question, because it doesn't really have to do with answering the question you asked..

That said, I do believe there are women who prefer and DESERVE a "do not contact" preference when relinquishing.. I think every effort should be made to ensure that such notations are truthful and not coerced, and effectively updated if she changes her mind down the road, but I think contact preference forms should definitely be used and HONORED...

Carnie C

only if you want to remain anonymous per the other question about anonyminity here . .

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