Ask CNN:  Why is it so hard to adopt children?
MARCO MARTINOLI: Hello. My name is Marco Martinoli. I come from Rome, Italy. I want to ask CNN why it is so hard to adopt children in the world today?</s>LAUREN CRAWFORD, LCSW: Well, Marco, it's true that adopting a child from western countries is increasingly more difficult for several reasons, and that's why most families looking to adopt are going outside of western countries. The reason that it's so hard to adopt within western countries is because the demand is simply higher than the supply. There are fewer unplanned pregnancies due to access to birth control. Women who do have an unplanned pregnancy often choose to terminate the pregnancy or to parent the child themselves. Therefore, the trend is towards international adoption. There are millions of children in orphanages around the world, mostly in Eastern European, Latin American, South American and Asian countries. Costs, high fees, waiting times and some restrictions put forth by the country are the only barriers to this, but all in all, international adoption is a very realistic and secure option for families looking to expand.