In the 2011 fiscal year, American parents made 9,319 international adoptions, a sharp drop from the 2004 peak of nearly 23,000, according to data from the State Department.
A combination of corrupted agencies and efforts by countries to limit the number of American adoptions makes it more difficult.
International adoption has had a storied history in the U.S., with some maintaining that adopting internationally cuts into the domestic adoption system, which has more than 100,000 children awaiting adoption and more than 400,000 in foster care, according to the Health and Human Services Department's Administration for Children and Families.
Making a typical splash across the media are celebrities who have made such international adoptions. Take a look at a smattering of celeb parents and send us names of others to possibly add.
U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, fourth from left, and her children from left, 8-year-old Maddox, Zahara Marley, 6, Pax Thien, 6, and Shiloh Nouvel, 4, arrive at Narita International Airport in Narita near Tokyo Monday, July 26, 2010 for the Japan premiere of her spy action-thriller film "Salt." (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (National Journal) Photo taken Monday Aug. 17, 2009 made available Tuesday Aug. 18, 2009 of U.S. singer Madonna, at right, with her adopted child from Malawi David Banda, waving, and Brazilian model Jesus Luz, background with havana hat, holding her other adopted child Chifundo "Mercy" James, on a speedboat on their way to see friends on a yacht, in Italy's northwestern riviera town of Portofino. Reports said Tuesday Madonna is in the seaside resort town to spend some time with Italian designers Dolce and Gabbana and other friends. After adopting David Banda in 2008, Malawi's highest court had granted the adoption of Chifundo "Mercy" James June 12, 2009 overturning an April lower court ruling that Madonna had not spent enough time in Malawi to be given a child. Madonna's Raising Malawi, a charity founded in 2006, helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi's orphans. (AP Photo) (National Journal) In this photo released by PMK/HBH on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, actress Katherine Heigl and her husband Josh Kelley pose with their adopted 10-month-old baby girl from Korea, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. Katherine and Josh have named their daughter Nancy Leigh, after Katherine's mother Nancy and her sister Margaret Leigh. She will go by the nickname Naleigh. (AP Photo/Cheyenne Ellis, PMK-HBH) (National Journal) Fitness guru Jillian Michaels poses for a portrait Friday, Jan. 6 in New York. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri) (National Journal) Actress Mia Farrow, 2011 Marian Anderson award recipient, posing for a photo at the Kimmel Center, Tuesday, May 10, 2011, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez) (National Journal) Julie Andrews arrives at the Ford's Theatre Annual Gala Sunday, June 5, 2011 in Washington. Ford's Theatre is honoring Andrews and basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for their contributions that exemplify President Abraham Lincoln's legacy. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (National Journal)
