The Complete Adoption & Fertility Legal Guide

by Sember, Brette McWhorter

• ISBN13: 9781572483736
• ISBN10: 1572483733
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-01
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc

Summary

Whether you are thinking about adopting a child or using reproductive treatments to become pregnant, The Complete Adoption and Fertility Legal Guide explains your options, gives you the steps to take to protect your decision and hands you the power to make it happen.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. xiii
Adoption
Understanding Adoption	p. 3
Legal Effects
Birth Parents' Rights and Roles
Extended Birth Family
Legal Process
Making the Decision to Adopt
Preparing for the Adoption Rollercoaster
Preparing for the Future
Adoption Decisions	p. 11
Open versus Closed Adoption
Domestic versus International Adoption
Agency versus Private Adoption
Finding and Choosing an Agency
Finding and Choosing an Attorney
Facilitators
Affording Adoption
Agency Evaluation Questionaire
Attorney Evaluation Questionaire
Adoption Procedures	p. 31
Home Studies
Consent
No Consent Needed
Notice
Timing of Consent
Consent Procedures
Revocation
Adoption Court Procedures
Postplacement
Birth Certificates
Adoption Financial Credits
Family Leave
Insurance and Planning for the Future
Second-Parent Adoption	p. 53
Deciding to Adopt a Stepchild
Qualifications to Adopt
Notice or Consent
Preadoption Procedures
Second-Parent Adoption Process
Kinship Adoption	p. 61
Types of Kinship Adoptions
Adoption versus Guardianship
Custody versus Adoption
Adoption versus Foster Care
Notice and Consent
Kinship Agreements
Agency Involvement
Court Proceedings
Finalization
Support
Domestic Agency Adoption	p. 69
Public Agencies
Agency Liability
Private Agency Adoption
Interstate Issues
Ethnic Concerns
International Adoption	p. 87
Choosing an Agency
Choosing a Country
Choosing a Child
Dealing with Paperwork
The Process
Dealing with Immigration
Citizenship
Readoption
Changes in Adoption Law
International Agency Questionaire
Parent-Facilitated Adoption	p. 99
Adopting Independently with an Agency
How to Find a Birth Mother
Facilitator
Advertising
Choosing a Birth Mother
Contact with Birth Mother
Payments
Counseling
Waiting for Your Child to be Born
Paperwork
Adjustment Period
Choosing a Facilitator Questionaire
Potential Birth Mother Questionaire
Adult Adoption	p. 115
Evaluating the Need for Adult Adoption
Restrictions
Consent
Legal Procedure
Effect of Adult Adoption
Single-Parent Adoption	p. 119
Considerations for Single-Parent Adoption
Bias against Single Parents
Home Studies
Laws Governing Single-Parent Adoption
Protecting Your Family
Raising Your Child
Gay and Lesbian Adoption	p. 123
Single-Parent Adoption
Second-Parent Adoption
Couple Adoption
International Adoption
Finding Gay-Friendly Adoption Agencies
Raising an Adoptive Child
Coping with Adoption	p. 129
Dealing with Reactions to Adoption
Dealing with Others Involved in Your Case
Dealing with the Waiting
Dealing with Doubts
Changing Your Mind
Bonding with an Adopted Child
Dealing with Adoption Disappointments
Raising an Adopted Child	p. 135
Celebrating Your Adoption
Breastfeeding an Adopted Infant
Talking to Your Biological Children about Adoption
Raising Biological and Adopted Siblings
Talking to Your Child about His or Her Adoption
Keeping an Adoption a Secret
Cultural Heritage
Medical Issues
Post Adoption Support
Finding Birth Parents
Assisted Reproduction
Understanding & Evaluating Reproductive Technologies	p. 145
Understanding Your Condition
What Technology Can Do for You
What Technology Cannot Do for You
Understanding Terminology
Finding Medical Professionals You are Comfortable With
Success Rates
Your Right to ART
Initial Visit
Setting Limits
Privacy
Coping with the Medical and Clinical World
Your Rights as an ART Patient
Making Time for ART
Coping with ART
Weighing Technology against Adoption
Weighing the Use of Donors
Ethical Considerations
Financial Issues
Singles and Assisted Reproduction
HIV and Assisted Reproduction
Being Gay and Using Assisted Reproduction
Dealing with Risks
Fertility Specialist Questionaire
Insemination	p. 165
Laws
Types of Sperm Donors
Legal Parents
Future Considerations
Choosing a Sperm Bank Questionaire
Egg Donation	p. 177
Finding a Donor
Donation Process
Cost
Agreement
State Laws
Legal Rights
Future Contact with the Donor
Choosing a Clinic Questionaire
Embryo Donation	p. 185
Finding a Donor
State Laws
Cost
Agreement
Issues
Privacy
Clinic Evaluation Questionaire
Surrogacy	p. 197
Laws Concerning Surrogacy
The Legal Process of Surrogacy
California Procedure
Surrogacy Programs
Finding a Surrogate on Your Own
Surrogacy Agreements
Payment Issues
Insurance Coverage
Problems with Surrogacy
Other Steps to Protect Yourself
Choosing a Surrogacy Program Questionaire
Emerging Technologies	p. 209
Nuclear Transfer
In Vitro Maturation
Cytoplasmic Transfer
Cloning
Cryopreservation	p. 215
Contract
Cost
Divorce
Death of a Parent
Raising an ART Child	p. 219
Explaining Things to Your Child
Coping with Other People
Medical Information
Helping Your Child Locate His or Her Donors or Surrogates
Epilogue	p. 223
Glossary	p. 225
Resources	p. 231
State Offices for Adoption Services	p. 239
Forms	p. 251
Index	p. 279
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.