Birth mother S lived in North Carolina and had 3 great children and a longtime boyfriend. They were planning to get married and create a great life. S worked hard to help support her family. She found out she was pregnant, very unexpectedly. She and her boyfriend, C, tried to decide what to do. They contemplated abortion, but then S found out she was too far along for abortion. Their thoughts started to turn to adoption.

S and C found A Act of Love Adoption Agency, in Utah and decided to give them a call. After talking with an adoption counselor with the adoption agency, they knew that adoption was the right choice for them. They also found out they were having a baby girl.

S and C found an adoptive family that was ready to adopt with the adoption agency. They just loved the adoptive family! They talked on the phone and had a great connection. The adoptive family agreed to come to North Carolina at the time of delivery to be with S and C.

S went into labor 2 weeks early, so the adoptive family made their travel arrangements. The adoption counselor was with S & C to be a support to them. The baby was born and the delivery went well. S was still confident in her decision to place, and felt that she was giving her baby girl so many opportunities in life.

Then S’s world came crashing down. The hospital had run some routine blood work when S arrived at the hospital. The hospital social worker let S know that she tested positive for HIV. She was shocked and scared. How could she have HIV? She had been totally faithful to her boyfriend for years! S and C sat down to have a serious discussion. C admitted to have been with multiple women when he was supposedly away working on the weekends. He had passed HIV on to her, an innocent victim! She was so distraught, but her thoughts turned to the adoptive family and her baby.

Doctors immediately put the baby on medication that she would have to take until she was 6 months old. The adoptive family took some time to think and talk with doctors, and still felt this baby was meant to be in their family. The baby is thriving and is so blessed to not have contracted the HIV.

S is doing well. She continues medication and doctor appointments. She has learned how one person’s decisions can completely change another person’s life. Just like her positive decision to place impacted the wonderful adoptive family she chose to place her daughter with. S is able to watch her beautiful baby girl grow through pictures that are sent through the adoption agency. She is so grateful for this connection and to see and know that her baby girl is healthy and so loved by all of her family.