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Here's how
adoption
creates a
better future

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I'm Pregnant Adopt a Baby

How The Adoption Process Works

The adoption process is beautiful because it brings people together to give a baby a life filled with love and opportunity.

From deciding if adoption is right for you, to choosing your agency and finding a match, we've broken the adoption process down into 6 steps. Here's how to place a baby for adoption, and here's how to adopt a baby.

3 Reasons People Choose American Adoptions

1. More Adoption Opportunities

We work with all types of waiting families across the country, giving you hundreds of hopeful parents to choose from. Why is this important for you? It gives you a better chance of finding your perfect match.

How this benefits you:

  • You want to find the perfect family for your baby. With a decision this important, would you not rather have 300 choices than 30?
  • With so many diverse families, you'll find the right one for you, no matter what you're looking for. Pick where they live, what their family makeup is, their religious beliefs and more.
  • More prospective birth parents choose American Adoptions than other agencies, too. This means more adoption opportunities and lower wait times for our families - a win-win for everyone.

2. Better Adoption Matches

Your child deserves the best life you can imagine. That's why we work with the best adoptive families in the country, using advanced screening and matching methods to help you find the right one for your baby.

Why is this important?

  • Unlike on other matching sites, our families have all been thoroughly screened and home-study-approved. That means you can feel confident that any family you fall in love with is going to provide your baby with a safe, loving, prepared home.
  • We know from our own experiences as adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees what it takes to be a great adoptive family. We hold our families to the standards we'd want for our own children - because your baby deserves the best.
  • Our one-of-a-kind matching algorithm collects more data on adoptive families, assessing every aspect of their life and finding possible matches based on your needs and wishes. The result? A better match for you - and the best possible life for your child.

3. The Best Adoption Experience

Our staff includes people who have personally been through the adoption process. We've been where you are - which means we provide better support to make this process as easy as possible for you.

What does this mean to you?

  • We know firsthand what you need from your adoption agency. Our support isn't cold and detached. It's real, personal and helpful because, at some point, we needed the same support in our own lives.
  • You can feel confident, hopeful and encouraged instead of unsure, anxious and fearful. Adoption may not be easy. But with our support, it will always be worth it.
  • You can call 1-800-ADOPTION at any time, 24/7, to get free support and information. You'll be connected with an adoption professional who wants to help.

Top Videos

Is Adoption Right for Me? [How Adoption Can Create a Better Future]

Is Adoption Right for Me? [How Adoption Can Create a Better Future]

Open vs Closed

Open vs Closed

"Giving a Baby Up" for Adoption is not "Giving Up" [Here's Why]

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About Us: American Adoptions


With involvement in more than 300 domestic adoptions each year, American Adoptions is currently one of the largest domestic adoption agencies of its kind in the United States.

Read the Story

The Best for Her Babies - Why One Birth Mother Doesn't Regret Her Decision

Lindsey was already the mother to one baby with special needs when she found herself pregnant again. A single mom in the midst of a divorce, she knew adoption was the way to give both her daughters what they deserved.

Read the Story

Ted Mars' Adoption Story

Ted Mars, father of American Adoptions' founder Scott Mars, shares how adoption changed his world in ways he could have never imagined.

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A Life of Love and Opportunity

When Scott Mars, the cofounder of American Adoptions, was adopted by his parents, it sparked a lifelong mission to bring other families together through adoption. “Because of adoption, my life was filled with love and opportunity," he says.

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What's New at American Adoptions?

August 19, 2026

Can an Adoption Agency Ask Me to Move to Another State? [Adoption Coercion and Your Rights]

Worried about pressure to relocate? Learn why an ethical, supportive adoption agency will always protect your right to stay home and make decisions on your own terms.

Read the Story
August 12, 2026

Can You Prevent Adoption Trauma? [The Truth for Adoptive Parents]

Can you prevent adoption trauma? Learn how trauma-informed adoption, honest communication, and open adoption support your child’s emotional growth.

Read the Story
August 5, 2026

When to Start the Adoption Process [A Complete Planning Guide]

Unsure when to start the adoption process? Learn how early preparation speeds up matching and discover actionable steps to take before you officially apply.

Read the Story