Anyone ever adopt from Ukraine?

[gurumama]

*edited

[Clarity]

I had my INS permits and was ready to go, but had successful IVF. My friends had a failed trip. Perhaps they were not open enough to the age and medical situation of the orphanns...they visited several. But at the time (1.5 years ago) Ukraine seemed to be more popular with many europeans...many of which have stricter health requirements. They felt like maybe that was why they were so few non profoundly ill children...and it seemed like as Americans they were being offered the sickest ones. The only healthy children they were offered were older, one 7 and one 9. They were working with an american foreign adoption doctor who was familiar with typical orphanage diagnoses that are not of real concern...so I feel like maybe they were not totally off base.

I liked the method of referral in-country by the govt agency - to me it seemed like a good way to cut out a lot of adoption fraud that some brokers and agencies have done in other countries. So, abstractly, while some people don't like the insecurity of not having a pre-identified child, it seems like a reasonable way to do it. Join some of the ukraine adoption mailing lists...they will give you a good idea of whAT;S HAPPENING IN COUNTRY CURRENTLY. WHEN I WAS LOOKING (FALL 2000/SPRING 2001 (sorry, caps lock) there were many many happy stories and only a very few people who did not seem satisfied with the experience. You are also supposedly on the same playing field whether you're adopting independently or using an agency to help you with the arrangements...everyone goes through the same process. Whether that's true in practice I'm not sure.

Countries I looked at too - (I ended up with Ukraine becuase of my agency whom I knew very well) were Guatemala, Korea, China and perhaps Cambodia/Vietnam.

[lilyka]

My friends did. They hads to wait until she was 2 but the nuns would often lie about thier age to get them placed sooner (because hey, their is no reason to hang out in an orphanage when you have parents chomping at the bit to take you home and love you). They are thrilled. thier dd is great No problems. she is healthy, sharp as a tack. A little on the small side but then again they can't be sure just how old she is.

[EFmom]

If you haven't already, you might want to check out the Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption site and the chat boards. www.frua.org

The Ukrainian system has some unique features and seems to undergo quite a great deal of flux, even in international adoption, where flux seems to be the rule! It might be helpful to hook up with others in the process.

Are you planning on using an agency or adopting independently?