The article discusses the circumstances of placing a child for adoption and its relation to the myth of maternal love. It examines the research related to this issue, questioning the idealization of motherhood expressed in the idea that every woman is "naturally" a mother. It also examines the justification commonly found in literature that perceives the act of placing a child for adoption as the result of difficulties associated with socioeconomic factors. It shows the relevance of the research on the subject involving different professionals who deal with this reality.