The Business of Babies: Inside California’s Private Adoption Industry is a documentary by Louis Theroux that investigates the thriving private adoption sector in California, a central hub for this practice in the United States. The film delves into the intricate and profitable system where newborn adoptions are facilitated by private agencies, intermediaries, and legal professionals. It highlights how these parties can make significant earnings from each adoption, prompting ethical concerns about the commercialization of what is traditionally seen as a sensitive and personal process.
Through interviews with the various stakeholders involved—including agencies, biological parents, and adoptive families—the documentary provides an in-depth look at the motivations behind participation in this industry. It critically examines the consequences of treating adoption as a business, exploring how this approach affects all parties involved in this emotionally charged market. The film offers a thorough and thought-provoking analysis of the private adoption business in California.