ADOPTION AS AN OPTION FOR UNMARRIED PREGNANT TEENS

Adolescent parenthood reduces the opportunities and optimal outcomes for both mother and child, yet pregnant teenagers rarely consider adoption. This paper reports a qualitative study that explored the reasons this option is so rarely examined. Twenty-one unmarried pregnant adolescents and their significant others were interviewed twice to determine the meaning adoption has for them. Four phenomena were found to be pivotal to the their willingness to consider adoption: (1) societal sanctions, (2) low level of knowledge, (3) anticipated psychological discomfort, and (4) lack of support from helping professionals. Information generated should be useful at health and social policy levels as well as to professionals who work with pregnant teenagers.