The idea
that the only women who reject their own children are drug addicts and
alcoholics is widely believed but is a myth, said the President of the charity
Volunteers helping Orphans Elena Alshanskaya at a press conference in Moscow.
While in Moscow a major reason for mothers to give up their children is labour
migration, in Tomsk a large number are student mothers not ready for
motherhood. On average in the regions 30% of mothers who do so are addicts of
some sort and unable for that reason to care for their children. Some single
mothers give up their children at birth because they are in difficult
circumstances. The foundation’s psychologist, Tatiana Archakova, said that
women who give up their children often have no experience of the notion that a
child is precious, and that motherhood is precious and must be fought for in
every way.  Alshanskaya commented that in
Russia there is inadequate help for women in such situations. She added that a
major cause of mothers giving up a new born baby is modern society in which
family ties have been weakened. This means that serious work needs to be done
to improve socio-economic conditions in the regions and also to create a normal
psychological climate of support for families with children.

http://www.asi.org.ru/ASI3%5Crws_asi.nsf/va_WebPages/20ADCFF2D4AB6ED8C32578FC00310B76Rus