As you explore the Adoption option, you will undoubtedly encounter many new and unfamiliar terms. While this list is by no means complete, it includes the most common terms to help you get started.

Adoption: the legal process where parental rights are transferred from birth parents to adoptive parents.

Adoptee: an individual who is placed with an adoptive family.

Adoption Agency: a licensed organization responsible for placing children with families or individuals who are approved for adoption.

Adoption Attorney: a specialist who performs the necessary legal functions enabling the placement of children with families or individuals who are approved for adoption. Some provide additional adoption related services.

Adoption Facilitator: a person who assists prospective adoptive parents find a child to adopt. Depending upon where they do business they may or may not require a license and may or may not be legal.

Adoptive Parent: a person who is legally given parental rights for a child.

Birthfather: a man who helped a woman get pregnant, where the woman then gives birth and the baby is then placed for adoption.

Birthmother: a woman who gives birth to a baby and then places him/her for adoption.

Birthparent(s): a Birthmother and/or Birthfather.

Closed Adoption: an adoption where the adoptive parents and the Birthparents have no information about each other that could be used to identify them. This term is considered offensive to some people and has been replaced by "Confidential Adoption".

Confidential Adoption: a more up-to-date term for closed adoption.

Consent Form: is the legal document Birthparents sign to terminate their parental rights over their child.

Dear Birthmother letter: most families (especially in an open adoption) will write a letter of introduction for Birthparents to read. It typically contains insights into their lifestyle, hopes, dreams, religion and other things they think a Birthparent will want to know. (also known as a "Dear Birthparent" letter or adoption profile)

Home Study: the process most prospective adoptive parents must go through to be able to legally adopt. Usually includes evaluations of their relationship, inspections of their home environment, employment, financial status and criminal background checks as well as counseling.

Open Adoption: an adoption where Birthparents and adoptive parents exchange information that could be used to identify
them. May include agreements for future contact and visits.

Revoke Consent: the decision by either Birthparent to withdraw their consent for termination of parental rights. Where they live determines how long after placement this decision can be made.

Social Worker: a person (usually with a Masters Degree) who provides services to prospective adoptive parents and prospective Birthparents. Services are usually provided on behalf of an adoption agency or attorney and typically include counseling and homestudy preparation.

Special Needs Adoption: an adoption where it is known or suspected that the baby may have a physical, mental or emotional disability. Includes medical conditions as well as babies exposed to drugs or alcohol.

Termination of Parental Rights: a legally binding action that is put into effect when the Birthparents sign a consent form. Termination of parental rights ends all of the legal rights and responsibilities of the Birthparents for the baby. The form, processes and associated laws are generally different in every state.

What Birthparents typically do:

• Learn about adoption.
  This should be something you do throughout pregnancy and beyond. Adoption doesn't end when you sign the consent form. A wide variety of articles to get you started can be found here.
• Find an adoption professional to assist you.
  There are many ways to do this. Use the phone book, talk to a counselor or religious leader, or use an online directory such as Adoption Professionals.com.
• Find families you would like to adopt your baby.
  There are many ways to do this as well. If you have the help of an adoption professional they may have a list of families you can learn more about. You can also find families online at places like Adoption Online.com.
• Decide which family you want to adopt your child.
  It may take a while to reach this decision. You should read as many "Dear Birthmother" letters as you want until you find one or two that you feel comfortable with. In an open adoption, you would then contact the family either online, by phone or with the help of an adoption professional so that you can get to know each other. Eventually you must decide upon only one family to work with and let the others move on.
• Seek Support.
  No doubt about it. Placing your child for adoption may be the most difficult decision you have made in your life. You will need someone to talk to that can help you through this time. Seek the advice of someone with experience in adoption issues. It doesn't matter how you find them. The Adoption Professional you work with may be able to help, the family you have chosen may be able to make some resources available or maybe a school counselor, religious leader or through online services such as Adoption Professionals.com.
• Follow through with your plan.
  After you have signed the papers, you may want to take some time for yourself, or you may not. Either way it's fine. Then, be sure to follow through with your plan, especially if you have an open adoption and will be having contact with the adoptive family. Talking to them, finding out how your baby is doing, can go a long way to helping you feel comfortable with your decision and to get on with your life plans.