Your rights, your choices, your future — protected under PA law.
This page will walk you through how adoption works in Pennsylvania, what rights you have under PA law, and what you can expect every step of the way.
Pennsylvania has specific laws in place to protect birth mothers. These rights are yours — no one can take them away.
In Pennsylvania, no birth mother can sign adoption consent papers until at least 72 hours after giving birth. This is the law. No agency, attorney, or adoptive family can ask you to sign sooner. This time is yours to rest, bond with your baby, and make sure you feel ready.
Once you do sign your consent, Pennsylvania law gives you 30 days to change your mind. You can revoke (cancel) your consent within those 30 days by submitting your decision in writing to Heart to Heart Adoptions, your attorney, or the court. After 30 days, your consent becomes final and cannot be reversed — except in rare cases where fraud or force can be proven.
You have the right to have your own attorney who represents only you — not the adoptive family. Heart to Heart Adoptions can help connect you with legal support at no cost to you.
You have the right to free counseling before and after placement. Processing your feelings is an important part of this journey, and you deserve support for as long as you need it.
Pennsylvania law allows birth mothers and adoptive families to create a Contact Agreement — a written agreement about ongoing communication after the adoption. This might include letters, photos, or even in-person visits. Heart to Heart Adoptions can help you explore what kind of open adoption arrangement feels right for you.
Yes. At Heart to Heart Adoptions, you are at the center of this process. Choosing who will raise your child is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make — and we believe that choice belongs to you.
We'll give you profiles of waiting families so you can learn about their lives, their values, and their hopes for their future child. You can take as much time as you need. You don't have to choose anyone you don't feel good about.
Many birth mothers in Pennsylvania choose some form of open adoption, which means staying in contact with the family and receiving updates about their child as they grow. Others prefer a more private arrangement. Both are valid, and both are possible. We'll help you find what feels right.
Yes. Adoption should never cost you anything. In Pennsylvania, adoptive families — not birth mothers — are responsible for adoption-related costs.
Under Pennsylvania adoption law, expenses such as the following can be covered:
Pennsylvania law requires that all financial assistance go through an approved intermediary — meaning funds are handled carefully and documented properly to protect everyone involved. Heart to Heart Adoptions will walk you through what support may be available to you.
This is one of the most common questions we hear — and it's a fair one. Yes, you can change your mind — but there is a time limit under Pennsylvania adoption law.
You can change your mind at any point. No paperwork is permanent until you sign your consent, and that cannot happen until at least 72 hours after birth.
You have 30 days from the date you sign to revoke your consent. To do this, you must submit your decision in writing to Heart to Heart Adoptions, your attorney, or the court. The revocation period cannot be waived or shortened.
Once the 30-day period has passed, your consent is legally final. The only exceptions are if you can prove in court that your consent was obtained through fraud or force — which is a very high legal bar.
Every state has its own adoption laws. Here are a few things that are unique to Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania specifically protects birth mothers by requiring that consent cannot be signed until at least 72 hours after birth — giving you time and space to recover.
Pennsylvania's law gives birth mothers a clear 30-day window to reconsider — and that period cannot be waived by anyone.
Pennsylvania courts can approve and enforce Contact Agreements between birth mothers and adoptive families, giving open adoption arrangements real legal weight.
If the birth father is known, he may also have rights in Pennsylvania. His consent may be required, or his parental rights may need to be legally terminated. Heart to Heart Adoptions will help you understand how this applies to your situation.
We want you to feel fully informed. Here are trusted, official resources where you can read more about Pennsylvania adoption law and your rights as a birth mother. These are government and legal sites — free to access, with no pressure or obligation.
We're here to help you explore your options, without pressure or judgment.