In the United States, the first modern adoption law was enacted by Massachusetts in 1851, reports the Adoption History Project at the University of Oregon. Since then, millions of children have been adopted in America. The reasons are numerous why someone might choose to adopt a baby and make him part of a family. It's not a decision that's made lightly. If you're considering adoption, talk to an adoption expert or counselor to determine the best approach for you and your family.
Humanitarian
Some people are "preferential adopters" who adopt children for humanitarian reasons, reports a research study headed by Kathy Stolley and published by Princeton University in the "Adoption" peer-reviewed journal. Such humanitarian-driven adopters may adopt an orphaned or impoverished child from within or outside of their country, said Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Bartholet during her keynote address at the "In The Best Interests of Children" conference in January 2005. In many circumstances, she says state institutions cannot adequately care for abandoned or orphaned children in their jurisdiction, with international or domestic adoption acting as important child-saving options.
Lack of Biological Children
Clare Menozzi and Barry Mirkin, respective population affairs officer and population policy chief of the United Nations Population Division, published a report in 2007 after studying adoption demographics. They report that approximately 71 million in the world age 40 or older are childless and that such women make up a large proportion of baby adopters. They also state that the greater the gap between a woman's desired number of children and the actual size of her family, the greater her chances of seeking to adopt.
Older women aren't the only category in this demographic. The demographic group may also include heterosexual couples where the male is infertile; same-sex couples who are unable to have their own children; and single individuals who wish to start a family.
Love
Some foster families who care for foster babies decide to adopt the child after caring for her. As of 2010, there is no quantifiable, peer-reviewed research on the psychological conditions of foster families who adopt. However, this decision to adopt a baby after fostering him may be attributed to emotional attachment like love.
Enhanced Family Cohesion
Menozzi and Mirkin say that many families adopt to "enhance family cohesion." For example, a baby of a specific gender might be adopted to "balance the sex ratio" of existing children in the family.
Familial Ties
In some cases, a baby may be adopted by a relative. This may include a grandchild being adopted by a grandparent, or a niece or nephew being adopted by an aunt or uncle. This may be due to a wide variety of reasons, such as instability of the biological parent and a close family structure that wishes to keep the child within the extended family.
