Choices for Family Growth: Infertility to Adoption
Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Of the many avenues open to families dealing with infertility, adoption is a potential path they can take. This study explored the early phases of decision-making when parents are faced with infertility adversity. Some families pursue adoption as an alternative to infertility treatment to grow their families due to medical intervention being expensive, posing potential health risks, and having low success rates (Park, Nicholas, & Hill, 2014). Adoption is often the last choice families make after they have exhausted all treatment options. We explored the decisions families made in relation to adoption after at least a year of not conceiving. Participants were 86 adults (72 female, 9 males; 5 other) who identified as a person or partner to someone facing infertility. They completed an online survey where they reflected on their infertility, medical interventions, relationship with their partner, the importance of support, and openness to adoption. Multiple regression analyses were conducted and identified the connection between openness to adoption and having older partners, supportive partners, and having tried multiple infertility treatments already. In evaluation of self-identified personality traits, those open to adopting were more open to change, worried that things would work out, and that they treated all races and religions equally. Families most open to adoption reported a year or more of infertility treatment. This, combined with a high level of support received from their partners, and an openness to change, were related to openness to adopt. Some families would not consider adoption, even after exhausting all medical treatment interventions. In sum, there are many paths toward parenthood, and in this sample, many families were open to the adoption process.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Nicole Martin
Choices for Family Growth: Infertility to Adoption
Of the many avenues open to families dealing with infertility, adoption is a potential path they can take. This study explored the early phases of decision-making when parents are faced with infertility adversity. Some families pursue adoption as an alternative to infertility treatment to grow their families due to medical intervention being expensive, posing potential health risks, and having low success rates (Park, Nicholas, & Hill, 2014). Adoption is often the last choice families make after they have exhausted all treatment options. We explored the decisions families made in relation to adoption after at least a year of not conceiving. Participants were 86 adults (72 female, 9 males; 5 other) who identified as a person or partner to someone facing infertility. They completed an online survey where they reflected on their infertility, medical interventions, relationship with their partner, the importance of support, and openness to adoption. Multiple regression analyses were conducted and identified the connection between openness to adoption and having older partners, supportive partners, and having tried multiple infertility treatments already. In evaluation of self-identified personality traits, those open to adopting were more open to change, worried that things would work out, and that they treated all races and religions equally. Families most open to adoption reported a year or more of infertility treatment. This, combined with a high level of support received from their partners, and an openness to change, were related to openness to adopt. Some families would not consider adoption, even after exhausting all medical treatment interventions. In sum, there are many paths toward parenthood, and in this sample, many families were open to the adoption process.