Why Do People Say Adoption is the Opposite of Abortion?

Question

sorry, that's what I meant - 'alternative'

Answer 1

I once thought these were related.  

Growing up, I believed that my first mom had a choice between adoption and abortion, and I was glad she had chosen adoption.

I have since realized a few things.  First, I was wrong that those were her choices.  She could have parented me.  Second, after meeting her, I discovered that she never even considered abortion.  For her, the choice was always between parenting and adoption.  (She says she didn't even know what abortion was until later.)  Her mother took away the first choice.

For me, though, most important was the relationships I've had with people.  Women friends who were struggling with the issue of abortion.  Having a loved one struggle with abortion opened my eyes to what that issue is really about.  She didn't want advice.  She didn't want counseling (not from me, anyway).  She just needed the support of a friend.  For her, bringing the child to term was not an option.  If she had, she would have kept it.  But she couldn't.  The conversation was never about abortion or adoption.  It was always about abortion or bringing the child to term.

I've learned that once that decision is made, if the child is brought to term, then the next question is whether to parent.  

So I guess I understand why some people connect them, if only because I once did myself.  However, I've since realized that relating these two questions confuses everything.  There are two distinct issues here, and they need to be handled separately.

Answer 2

I've never heard it referred to as the opposite, but I have heard it referred to as an alternative.

Well, any alternative is another choice to be considered. If you can't raise a child, you've been raped or for whatever other reason you have for not being able to care for a child, you have 3 choices. You can abort the child, give the child up for adoption, or try to raise the child. For some raising the child isn't an option, and their only other choices are abortion or adoption. Therefore, your ALTERNATIVES are either abortion or adoption.

Answer 3

I think adoption is great, it gives a a child a family that will love and care for them, As for abortion it terminates a life that never got a chance.

Answer 4

i would think its because you are giving birth to life(adoption) and not taking life away(abortion).