Heartbreak can happen when you put yourself out there. Unfortunately, with adoption comes a risk of an infamous form of heartbreak brought about by a change of heart by birth parents late in the process. I have tried not to pull any punches. Rather, I hope this serves as helpful insight into a difficult part of adoption.
Here’s what you need to know.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, birth parents can recant on their commitment to place for adoption. This brings about a hard circumstance, but it is likely better for everyone if a change of heart happens before the child is born.
5 Day Waiting Period
The state of Arkansas has a waiting period of 5 days. What this means is simply that after a child is born, everyone involved in the process must wait 5 days for the adoption to be finalized. At any point until finalization, birth parents have a legal route to back out of the adoption.
Finalization
After the waiting period has concluded, the adoption is finalized. Arkansas takes finalization seriously. After the 5 day period, the risk of losing the child is almost completely gone.
Unlikely but Possible Before
you jump headstrong into the adoption process, you should know that this circumstance is possible and you should prepare for it. At the same time, remember that this is not the norm. The National Council for Adoption estimates that 10% to 25% of adoptions fail between placement of a child in a home and finalization. Though that range is noteworthy, remember that much more often than not, commitments to adoption are honored.
There is no way to plan for heartbreak, nor a method to mend it in a day. But, we at Adoption Arkansas are convinced that the joys of adoption are worth the risk.