Question
I am currently 3 months pregnant just found out and in my late 20’s and I am an assistant teacher here in Spain and I am so nervous I don’t know who the father is and not ready for a child what is it like for an American non citizen of Spain to put a baby up for adoption.
Thank you I’m so distraught and don’t know what to do.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“Bless you heart. I’m sorry I don’t know where to direct you but the Spanish love their children so deeply. I’m sure your baby will have wonderful adoptive parents.”
“Ask your doctor how you can talk to a social worker. He or she should be able to direct you through the process. Sending you big hugs and hope you find your way.”
“I just want you to know that you’re not alone, and there are people who can help you through this. In Spain, non-citizens can place a baby for adoption, and there are official resources to guide you.
You can contact Servicios Sociales (Social Services) at your local town hall, or reach out to Adopción Nacional through the regional government (Consejería de Servicios Sociales). They can provide legal and emotional support, and they will ensure everything is done safely and with your well-being in mind.
Also know that Spain recognizes the freedom for women to have an abortion up to 14 weeks and in some cases up to 22 and covered by the public health system. If you need someone to talk to or help connecting with these resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Sending hugs!”
“Please do not abort if you can avoid it. Spain is a Catholic country and adoption is very much encouraged.”
“There are soo many families waiting to adopt infants. I’m not sure the process in Spain, but know that as an American the adoptive family can offer to pay for your travel and living expenses if you went through a private adoption agency. I only mention this so that you know you have options no matter what is available in Spain.”
“It sounds like you plan to stay in Spain- but if you were planning to return to the US, you should be able to get health care- returning to the US is a qualifying event for ACA, and most states have special provisions to ensure that pregnancy and delivery are covered.
You’ll want to coordinate before you return to avoid any gaps. I’m an aux in Valencia and if you are here, I’m happy to hold your hand or give you a hug if needed.”
“My wife and I have been trying to adopt for about 7 years, so I’ve actually been pretty informed on this. First things first, this is naturally a very big, scary thing for you in this situation, and it’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed right now.
That being said, Spain has very accessible prenatal care, and there are multiple systems in place to help you evaluate the process of adoption, as well as match you with an adoptive family that will take the baby home from the hospital if that’s what you eventually decide on. When it comes to babies, there are way more adoptive families waiting than babies to be adopted, so really, it COULD be a relatively smooth process.
There are options for both open and closed adoptions – open being that you maintain some form of contact with the child as he or she grows, closed being that that record is sealed and there’s no contact.
That being said, if you feel like that is too overwhelming of a thought on top of the pregnancy, you should also know that the hospitals have social workers in them, and it’s possible to surrender the baby upon delivery.
But just know that if you do that, they’ll be doing a psychological interview right then, and it’ll likely be much more traumatic for you, so if adoption is really what you decide on, it’s better to plan in advance.”
“This webpage has a list of organizations in various places around the country that stand ready to help pregnant women in the situation you described. All the best.”
“From what I’m reading, it’s a matter of signing some papers after the baby is born. Your Comunidad has something similar to Child Protective Services to take care of such things.”
“Social Workers will help you with this. Even if you say in the hospital they’ll assist you all the process. It is easy and system treat people with respect. I wish you the best.”
“Go to a public women health center (planificación familiar) and they will help you with all the options. They are like the Planned Parenthood centers in the US. I don’t think private adoptions are allowed in Spain, only public, but I may be wrong. Surrendering the baby at birth is an option and legal.”
“I’m adopted and I’m so glad my birth mom gave me the gift of life…”
“As someone who was adopted as an infant to a family that wanted a little girl, I cannot say enough wonderful things about adoption. It’s an honorable and selfless gift that allowed them to be called mom and dad.”
Conclusion
The community offered thoughtful and supportive advice to a non-citizen in Spain seeking information on adoption in Spain. Members confirmed that non-Spanish citizens can legally place a baby for adoption and that services such as Servicios Sociales and regional government offices can assist with the process.
Prenatal care is accessible, and public hospitals have social workers available to guide individuals through adoption or surrendering the child after birth.
Spain allows both open and closed adoptions, though most are closed. While some users mentioned private adoption practices familiar in the U.S., others emphasized that Spain mainly handles adoption through public institutions. Emotional support, legal guidance, and respectful treatment were consistently highlighted.
Overall, it’s clear that adoption is a viable option in Spain for non-citizens and that multiple resources exist to ensure a supported and informed decision.
