How Many Families in the U.S. are Waiting to Adopt?

Hopeful adoptive parents and prospective birth mothers often wonder, “how many families in the U.S. are waiting to adopt,” but for different reasons.

Although official national adoption statistics are difficult to find, adoption experts estimate the number of parents waiting to adopt is between one and two million couples.

This piece will detail why this estimate is good for prospective birth mothers. We’ll also explain why this estimate should not discourage hopeful adoptive parents from adopting a child.

If you are looking to place your baby for adoption, you can talk to an adoption specialist today. But if you want to find out more about how many families in the U.S. are waiting to adopt before talking to a specialist, continue reading.

Prospective Birth Mothers Have Adoptive Family Choices

Some prospective birth moms may worry, “Are there enough families looking to adopt?” Yes, we can confidently say that plenty of prospective adoptive families are cleared for adoption, and this number grows each day.

To better understand why there are between one and two million hopeful adoptive families in the U.S., let’s consider a few percentages and adoption facts.

According to the Office on Women’s Health, about 10% of U.S. women experience difficulty getting or staying pregnant. Although not all of these women will pursue adoption, a 2002 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found that 57% of women facing infertility consider adoption.

Also, American Adoptions, a national adoption agency that serves prospective birth mothers and hopeful adoptive families, notes that not all prospective adoptive families choose adoption because of infertility. There are diverse people – single hopeful parents, LGBTQ couples, and others – who want to adopt, too.

The takeaway here is that even though you may wonder, “how many parents are looking to adopt,” you always will have many hopeful adoptive families to choose from when you place your child for adoption. You can take as much time as you need to find the hopeful adoptive family perfect for your baby.

Finding Hopeful Adoptive Family Profiles Online

Now that you know there are a number of parents waiting to adopt, you may want to start browsing prospective adoptive family profiles.

Thankfully, plenty of reputable adoption agencies can help you find the perfect hopeful adoptive family for your child.

If you’re just starting the adoption placement process, consider these points before reaching out to an adoption agency.

Do I Want to Work With a Local or Regional Adoption Agency?

If you choose to work with an adoption agency in your state, you typically get to meet with your adoption professional one-on-one. However, local agencies’ family pools tend to be smaller than national adoption agencies’ family databases.

Do I Want to Work With a National Adoption Agency?

If you choose to work with a national adoption agency, you have access to families who live across the U.S. However, you may not get to work with your adoption professional in person for most of the adoption process. But, you will still have access to your specialist via phone, text, or video call.

The following are just a few reputable national adoption agencies that represent a number of couples waiting to adopt in the U.S. that you could consider working with:

Choosing a Hopeful Adoptive Family

Once you start to work with an adoption specialist, you’ll begin browsing hopeful adoptive family profiles. While browsing these profiles, you’ll want to consider the prospective adoptive family qualities that appeal to you. Some common attributes prospective birth mothers consider are:

A family’s religious beliefs
A family’s hobbies
Where a family is located (in-state or out-of-state)
Where a family lives (rural, suburb, or urban setting)
How large the family is
And more

Take your time browsing profiles, and don’t be afraid to tell your adoption specialist if you want to look at additional families. Your adoption professional is dedicated to helping you find the perfect adoptive family for you and your child.

Meeting a Hopeful Adoptive Family

Once you choose a hopeful adoptive family, your adoption specialist will arrange a conference call. After the initial call, you can continue communicating with the adoptive family through more calls, texts, or in-person visits, if that’s what you’d like.

Many prospective birth moms continue to get to know the adoptive family until they give birth. You even can decide to allow the adoptive family in the delivery room when your child is born.

After you’ve given birth and signed your consent adoption paperwork to terminate your parental rights, you will continue to build your relationship with your child and the adoptive family. Or, you can go your separate ways and have a clean start. The type of adoption communication you choose is totally up to you.

Why Prospective Adoptive Families Should Stay Hopeful

If you’re a hopeful adoptive parent, you may feel frustrated when you find out how many couples are waiting to adopt right now. But don’t let the “one to two million” waiting prospective adoptive family estimate worry you.

New prospective birth mothers choose to place their children for adoption every day. These women choose adoption for diverse reasons and rely on having a large, diverse pool of hopeful adoptive families to choose from.

Also, note that your family could be the perfect adoptive family for a prospective birth mother. Your diverse qualities, likes, and hobbies could be the things that catch a prospective birth mother’s attention.

Final Thoughts

When considering the question, “how many families in the U.S. are waiting to adopt,” it’s important to remember these points:

Between one and two million hopeful adoptive couples waiting to adopt in the U.S.
Prospective birth mothers never have to question, “are there enough families looking to adopt?”.
Even if you can’t find the perfect, hopeful adoptive family today, new prospective adoptive parents are cleared to adopt every day.
Although the “couples waiting to adopt statistics” may seem intimidating, hopeful adoptive families should still keep their adoption dream alive. You could be the perfect match for a prospective adoptive mother placing her child for adoption right now.

Whether you’re a hopeful adoptive family or prospective birth mother, adoption specialists are available right now who can give you free support.