“Without my daughter, I wouldn’t be where I am. I probably wouldn’t even be here today if it wasn’t for adoption.” – Sara, adoptive mother.
Many people feel exactly the same as Sara: that life is meaningless without the gift of becoming a parent or that they would have never made it to where they are now without their child. For that reason, thousands of people every year choose to adopt. And like Sara, without adoption, many of these peoples’ lives would have remained unfulfilled.
Before considering adopting a child, many couples attempt infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some find success, but many do not. In fact, according to the American Pregnancy Association, only 30-35% of women under 35 years old will become pregnant though IVF. As women get older, their chances of success decrease dramatically.
Many couples whose first attempts are unsuccessful try again and again. With each failed attempt, more money is lost, and sometimes the woman suffers mental and physical effects from the treatments. They may reach a point where they just can’t do it anymore, financially, physically or emotionally.
Eventually, many couples decide that their dream is to become parents, not necessarily to become pregnant. They realize that raising a child together is what’s important, and whether that is through pregnancy or adoption doesn’t matter.
So, why choose adoption?
Because why not? Life offers so many memorable moments, sometimes it is hard to realize how special they are without a child there to remind us.
The joy a father sees in his son’s eyes playing ball in the backyard, or the excitement a mom sees on her daughter’s face the first time a butterfly lands on her hand – these are moments made special because of the presence of a child.
Adoption has given and continues to give people like Sara the opportunity to start or build their family; not to mention providing children opportunities in life that maybe wouldn’t be available without adoption.
