ABSTRACT
Some doctors are involved in making direct arrangements for special adoption of babies. They generally operate in a low-key way with the job of mediating placements being only a part of the work that they do. Only a small minority of doctors are involved; a questionnaire that gained responses from 453 gynaecologistobstetricians who were members of the Obstetrician Association in Osaka found just 31 (6%) who affirmed that they personally assisted in adoptions. When asked to comment on the activities of a doctors’ association making adoptions, a slightly higher figure of 45 (10%) said that this was a natural extension of an obstetrician’s work (Iwasaki 2000: 7).
