As you consider adoption, talk to other parents who have adopted, check out an adoption support group, and look at several adoption agencies. An adoption social worker can offer you a wealth of information. Some couples find professional counseling to be particularly helpful as they work through their options for adding a child to their family.

When considering adoption, think about:

• Whether you and your partner are both open to adoption.
• Whether you might adopt a child or will only consider an infant adoption.
• Your feelings about not being genetically related to your child.
• How important it is that you have information about your child's genetic background.
• Whether you might adopt a child from a different ethnic or racial background or another country.
  • How do the members of your family feel about someone from a different ethnic background coming into the family?
  • Will your extended family be able to welcome and love the child?
  • How will you answer the child's questions about his or her origins?
  • How will you answer questions other people may ask about the child's heritage?
• Your personal financial resources. Compare the costs and success rates of elective infertility treatment with the costs and success rates of adoption. Be clear about what you can afford and about your financial ability to provide for your family's needs.
• The length of time the adoption process involves. Compare the time involved in infertility treatments with the time involved in adoption processes. Are you able to be patient and accept the time frames?
• The personal evaluation process required of all parties in adoptions. Adoptions require checks on personal background, financial status, and employment status. They also require home studies by social workers, physician health statements, and in some cases, psychological evaluation.