Child Adoption

The percentage of premarital births placed for adoption has decreased since the 1970's. Analyses of three cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth show that from 1952 to 1972, 8.7% of all premarital births were placed for adoption. From 1973 to 1981, this percentage fell to 4.1%.From 1982 to 1988, it fell further to 2%. (Bachrach, Stolley, London, 1992).

Women who place their children for adoption:
- Less than 3% of white unmarried women and less than 2% of Black unmarried women.(Mosher and Bachrach, 1996)
- Black women with premarital births, from 1952 to 1972, 1.5% placed their children for adoption. From 1973 to 1981, this percentage fell to .2% from 1982 to 1988, it rose to 1.1%.
- White women with premarital births, From 1952 to 1972, 19.3% placed their children for adoption. From 1973 to 1981, this percentage fell to 7.6%. From 1982 to 1988, it fell further to 3.2%. (Bachrach, Stolley, London, 1992).
- This is a little bit shocking but real, women who voluntarily place their children for adoption are likely to have greater educational and vocational goals for themselves than those who keep their children. Women making adoption plans often come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
- In a study of adoption trends in California, it was found birth mothers who place their children independently tend to be aged 17 to 30 years old, and have no more than a high school education. The majority are not related to the adoptive parents. Many mothers, though, have some contact with the adoptive family, and were involved in the selection of the adoptive parents. (Barth, Brooks, Iyer, 1995). http://www.adoption.org/adopt/california-adoption-homestudies.php