Anyone about to name himself or be named as the father of the child of a woman under eighteen needs to see a lawyer. Usually the natural parents are required by law not to see or try to get in touch with their child again. No one will know that the mother gave birth to that child. This is called closed adoption. For many years this was what most people thought was best for both parents and child.
Open adoption allows both sets of parents to know about each other.
The natural parent or parents may be able to get news of the child and see pictures as the child grows up. It is a good idea to discuss the different types of adoption with your counselor. Many parents believe the best time to decide on adoption is before the baby is born so that the baby and the new parents can start relating to each other as soon as possible. But the law will not allow consent papers to be signed until after birth. If you have decided ahead of time that the adoption is to be handled by an agency, the papers you sign will give the baby to them.