If your 16-year-old daughter is pregnant can you insist that she give up her baby for adoption or does she have any rights in the matter?

Answer 1

Yes, an unmarried pregnant minor has all the legal rights to their child as does an adult. No one including parent(s) can force her to place the child for adoption, have an abortion or relinquish her parental rights. If her parents cannot or will not assist her, she can contact state social services or Department of Family Services (DFS) for assistance in obtaining medical care and other such necessities. In some instances the court will emancipate the minor female so she can receive state and/or federal benefits for herself and her child. The father of the child would need to establish paternity before he can pursue his parental rights. The establishment/acceptance of paternity may also mean he can be held financially accountable for support of the child depending upon state laws and his personal circumstances. You may wish to visit http://www.birthright.org or call their toll free number 1-800-550-4900 for more help and guidance.

Answer 2

A pregnant minor has the same legal rights to her child as does an adult woman unless a court of law rules otherwise.

Parents of the minor cannot force her to place the child for adoption, sign over parental rights or have an abortion.

If the minor female chooses she may enlist the assistance of state family and children's services to enable her to petition the court for emancipation rights, thereby making her and her child eligible for public assistance. Answer The poster above is correct legally, but I'm going to talk to you on a more personal level. For any parent to have their child who is a minor become pregnant is certainly frightening and disappointing, but, she really didn't do anything wrong with the exception of being young with little wisdom. How much wisdom did you have at 16? The peer pressure today is 80% higher than when we grew up. Too much knowledge on certain subjects can back-fire and you know how much misinformation there is out there for teens today. Few know much about sex and the precautions they should take and I believe the parents should be open about sex to their teens. Their teens may roll their eyes, be embarrassed or even think they know everything, but, believe it or not some of what a parent says does sink in. Instead of fighting with your daughter and ending up alienating her from you, try to understand she is a young woman and no different than you. If she's old enough to have a baby then she's no longer generally speaking a child.

I want you to imagine that when you had your first baby someone telling you that you had to give that child up for adoption. How do you think you'd feel? As young as your daughter is she is scared to death, needs some support from especially you, and when that baby is born she is not going to be any different than any married woman having a baby and will have a strong bond to that child. I know perfectly well the whole issue is not simple and it's going to take "team work!" Try to work something out with her and teach her to be a mother. Don't allow her to pass off the responsibilities that come with raising a child. Make her get up at all hours of the night to tend to the baby. Let her go to school, but come home right after school and change diapers, feed, play and love that baby and spend quality time as a family. If she opts out to raise this child help her find good adoptive parents.

The days are gone where parents hide their pregnant daughters by sending them to a relatives or to a home for unwed mothers. No one looks on a single mom the same as the old days. In fact, (whether it's a good thing or a bad thing) many single women will have their own children or adopt without marriage involved. NEVER be embarrassed by the condition your daughter is in. If some of your relatives or friends don't like it tell them you love your daughter, you have a plan and to butt out! What has changed with you? The mother who would have acted like a wounded grizzly to protect her young. Being pregnant at 16 isn't the end of the world and think of this, what if your daughter died in a tragic accident? Now that's one sad problem.

I do understand how you feel and I highly doubt you are over the shock of it all, but I will put my hand on my Bible and swear that I would stand behind my daughter on this issue. Take it one day at a time.

Good luck & God Bless

Adoption would be the best choice. I had my first child at the age of 21 and even being 21 it was a struggle. I had no help but im 27 now with four handsome boys and looking to have another but im am looking for a baby girl to adopt because i wann be able to give another child a better life like my own have. so anyone out there if u are looking for a couple to give ur baby to for adoption i am here.

Answer 3

Only the biological parents of a child decides whether the child will be given up for adoption or not, even when the parents are minors. You can try go for custody yourself but the court will hear the mothers side and for her to be forced to live with a child she does not want is not a ideal household for a baby. In the US you can not force someone to be a parent against their will.