How Does Adoption Affect the Birth Mother

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How Does Giving up a Child for Adoption Affect the Birth mother? Cristiana Rearley Ann Mei Writing in Psychology Argosy University Abstract This literary review is on how women are affected mentally by giving up a child for adoption. More specifically, how does giving a child up for adoption affect the birth mother? Before beginning my research, I thought that most women who decided not to keep the child, which they cared for in their womb for 9 months, would still have signs of postpartum depression. The difference being that they did not have a child to want to smother as many women who end up with postpartum depression do. During my research, I learned that for women who decide that they are not going to keep their child sometime during their pregnancy, open adoptions are better for all of the people involved. It allows closure to the birth mom so that they are not constantly wondering what is going on with the child they birthed. It is also healthy for the adoptive family because it helps them not worry about what happened to the birth mother as well as a way for them to get information on any family genetics that may have them worried. I also discovered that surrogate mothers –women who choose to give birth to a child for another couple– normally do not have any negative emotions after giving birth. The surrogate mother often becomes close to the adoptive parents, but they typically do not develop any emotions for the child growing in their wombs. I thought it was fascinating that if the woman had become pregnant intentionally to give away the child, they were not affected emotionally by giving birth and not keeping the child. If people could begin viewing surrogacy or giving a child up for adoption in an unwanted pregnancy, than so many more couples who are not able to have children themselves would be

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