Why Donor Insemination and Not Adoption? Narratives of Female-Partnered and Single Mothers

Both female couples and single women who seek to become parents theoretically have several family-building options available, including, most prominently, donor insemination or adoption. In the current study the authors explored how 50 women (36 female partnered, 14 single) explained their decision to use donor insemination and not adoption. The findings revealed that although 60% of women had considered adoption, only 12% took steps toward adopting. Reasons for not considering or pursuing adoption centered on attractive features of biological parenthood (the desire to be pregnant, desire for a genetic link to the child) as well as perceived problems with adoption (cost, the unpredictable nature of the adoption process, and the perceived likelihood of problems in adopted children). Structural barriers to adoption (legal barriers, agency stigma) were also noted. These findings have implications for professionals who work with diverse families during the family-building stage and for policy makers seeking to reduce the number of children in child welfare.