There are more than 1.5 million adopted children in the U.S. --about 2 percent of all American children. Nowadays it's considered an appealing and acceptable way to build a family, but myths about the process persist.
When Tana and Keith Coleman struggled to get pregnant, they turned to adoption. Three-year-old Anna completes their family, but experts say common adoption myths may be deterring others.
"Probably the most commonly held misconception is that there aren't healthy newborn babies available for adoption," Patricia Strowbridge, executive director of A Chosen Child, Inc., in Orlando, Fla., told Ivanhoe.
Domestic adoption through private agencies and foster care systems are options for families who want infants. The average time frame is two to four months. Babies in international adoptions can take one to two years. Another myth -- most families can't afford adoption. The average cost of an adoption is between $25,000 and $30,000, but there's a $12,000 federal tax credit and…
"There are also private foundations that provide grant money to families, like GiftofAdoption.org and the Dave Thomas Foundation," Strowbridge said.
Another adoption myth -- the majority of adoptions fail the first time. Patricia says only about 10 to 15 percent of adoptive situations will fail. Experts say some obstacles of the adoption process include being single, gay, over a certain age and even over a certain weight.
