What Rights Do The Birthfathers Have?
In general, there is a duty to exercise “due diligence” to locate a birthfather, inform him of the pregnancy and impending adoption plan, offer him counseling and legal advice and learn what his wishes are. Many birthmothers are very uncomfortable with this. They may feel angry towards the birthfather. Leaving him out of the process is one way to express that anger and disappointment and to feel in greater control. We spend time with the birthmother considering ways to meet her needs for greater control over her situation. She can feel very powerless with an unplanned pregnancy (with all the changes to her body and her life) and it can feel unfair that the birthfather is not experiencing the same or similar changes in his life. In most states, birthfathers have a right to receive notice of the pregnancy and adoption plan and to express their wishes regarding care for the child. It is very common to see a difference between the birthfather’s communications with the birthmother and commu
