As a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy, you want to make the best possible decision for yourself and your baby. If you are reading this article, you may be leaning toward adoption — but what if your baby’s father doesn’t agree with you? Does the father have to give consent for adoption in Tennessee?  Can a mother put a baby up for adoption without the father being involved?

Every adoption involves a biological father, and every woman’s relationship with that man is going to be unique. Some women have the support of their baby’s birth father throughout the adoption process and choose to involve him in their adoption plan. Others want to pursue a Tennessee adoption when the father is unknown, unsupportive or uninvolved. If the latter describes your situation, you may have a lot of questions about your options, like:

• “Does the birth father have to agree to adoption in Tennessee? What if I want to put my baby up for adoption, but the father doesn’t?”

• “Can I give my baby up for adoption without the father’s consent in TN?”

• “What if I’m not sure who the father is or how to get ahold of him?”

For the answers to these questions and more, you should call 1-800-ADOPTION or contact a Tennessee adoption attorney. Birth father adoption laws in Tennessee can be complicated, and your options for moving forward with adoption will vary based on your individual circumstances. While this article provides some general information about birth father rights in Tennessee adoptions, it should not be taken as legal advice.

How Your Relationship Affects Your Adoption Plan

Regardless of the relationship you have or had with the father of your baby, adoption may still be an option for you. American Adoptions has worked with birth mothers who were:

• Married and choosing adoption

• In a positive relationship with the baby’s father

• Single

• Raising other children with the same father or different fathers

• First-time moms

• On good terms with the baby’s father, even if they weren’t in a relationship together

• In a relationship with someone other than the baby’s father

• In an unhealthy relationship with the baby’s father, which may have been one of their reasons for choosing adoption

• Not sure who the baby’s father was or how to reach him

Remember, you can talk to an adoption specialist at any time to learn how your specific relationship will impact your adoption plan. In any of the above scenarios, adoption may still be an option for you in Tennessee.

Do You Need the Father’s Consent for Adoption in Tennessee?

There are many reasons why a woman might be curious about giving a baby up for adoption without the father’s consent in Tennessee. He may be unknown, “out of the picture” or difficult to reach. He may be uninterested in participating in the adoption process, or he may be actively opposed to or unsupportive of the mother’s adoption plan.

In these situations, many women ask: “Can you give a baby up for adoption without the father’s consent in Tennessee?”

The answer to this question varies on a case-by-case basis. Adoption without parental consent in Tennessee is a possibility in some situations. If you think you may need to pursue a Tennessee adoption without consent from the birth father, call us at 1-800-ADOPTION. We can help you determine how to move forward with an uninvolved, unsupportive or unknown father and adoption in Tennessee.

What Are a Birth Father’s Rights in Adoption?

As a woman pursuing adoption, it’s important to be aware of the birth father rights in adoption in Tennessee. Depending on your circumstances, you may be required to notify the father of your baby of your pregnancy and adoption plan. You should talk to your adoption specialist before having this conversation, especially if you think your baby’s father might respond negatively to your adoption decision. Your adoption specialist can help you determine what the father needs to know in your situation and, if necessary, she can help you prepare for that conversation.

Remember, this article does not serve as legal advice. To learn more about the rights of biological fathers in Tennessee adoptions, or to start exploring the options available in your situation, call 1-800-ADOPTION for free adoption information with no obligation.

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