Sending Babies Abroad

Celebrity adoption cases like Madonna's overshadow the reality that intercountry adoption is not a one-way street. The United States--the largest receiving country--also sends some children to be adopted by families abroad. Last year, 102 U.S. children were adopted by Canadians, a more than 30 percent jump from the previous year.

Families in the Netherlands adopted 31 U.S. children in 2003--nearly all under the age of 2--almost triple the number from just two years prior. Germany, Sweden and New Zealand have also received U.S. children. Adoption specialists estimate that the number of U.S. children adopted abroad each year is under 300. The State Department issued more than 22,000 visas for incoming children in 2005; it has never tracked outgoing cases. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of these children are black and biracial infants whose birthmothers believe ...