title: International adoption of children with birth defects: current knowledge and areas for further research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the existing literature on the international adoption of children with birth defects and identify areas for further research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  International adoption brings thousands of children to the United States each year, and children with birth defects are overrepresented in this population. Studies have demonstrated disparities in the health of children adopted from different countries as well as the complexity of medical care needed after adoption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the health of children involved in international adoption has been well studied, there is a lack of information about the experiences of the adoptive parents of children with birth defects. We discuss a pilot study conducted on adoptive parents of children with a specific birth defect, orofacial clefting, and discuss areas for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Meagan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: Katherine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Nathaniel H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Robin
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000523:psychology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000523:psychology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States