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I am adopted. I was adopted when I was 4 months old. I am interested in seeing if I can find any information on my birth family for medical information. I posted on here about my sister having breast cancer and her battle with it. She is my adopted sister so really her medical condition does not have anything to do with mine. But I am interested in finding this info out so I will have a medical history for my children. I am not really sure if I would want to meet my birth mother or father. I guess I would cross that bridge when and if I got to it. I was adopted thru the county and I really have very little information. I did order my non-identifying information from the state. My father will give me no information regarding my adoption and refuses to discuss it. I don't have a clue to how to even start this search - does anyone know what my first step would be?
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Do you know what day, what town, and what hospital you were born at? If so you could do a search of all the women that gave birth there on that day, it may help a little. Try checking the newspapers for that date, they normally list them by hospital with the names of the mother.
Try talking to the others in your family, just because HE won't tell you anything doesn't mean that they won't. (hopefully).
If it was arranged through the county you may have to go through an attorney or non profit group, the county SHOULD have birth records. You could tell them that all you need is MEDICAL back ground and that you do NOT want personal back ground and they may give it to you that way also.
I will think of more between me and my mom, we're brain storming for you.
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Thanks - I am going to ask my aunt tomorrow if she knows what county I was born in. My adopted mother is deceased and she would never give me any information. My parents were very up front about both my sister and I being adopted but never told us any more. I think my mother did not want us to find our birth families for fear they would replace her. (if that makes sense) I do understand how an adopted mother must feel, but my adopted mother was my mother!!!! I just know nothing about my adoption other than my birth date. I wonder where I would start with my state to find information.
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Oh, Kaye, I could give you information! I didn't realize you were adopted, too. I was adopted in Fulton County in 1970 so I know who you need to contact in Georgia. But, don't get your hopes up. They are not the most helpful people around.
I don't know how old you are, but if you were born in the 70s or early 80s, the name of the mother would not be in the paper unless she placed you after you were born. If she had the intent on placing you before your birth, it is sort of like they have a special area for those moms. Like the births just didn't happen.
You have done the right thing with the first step - non identifying information. I would just tell your dad what you told us. My father doesn't like to talk about it either, but my mother is very open. If you can get the name of the social worker sometimes that helps as well as hospitals, etc.
I finally got the nerve up to call the state reunion registry and it didn't go well. I have had my non-identifying information since 1988, but I am to the point now where I feel the need to get more detailed medical information and, possibly, meet my birthmother.
If you need any of my information, just pm me! Here are some good starting points: sign up for the Soundex Reunion Registry - . Here is the place to start for Georgia, too. . Again, it is a LONG process with these people. It sort of makes me mad sometimes when I think about it. This is our lives, for goodness sake!
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Thanks for the info Claire - it is so funny that you were my secret sister!!!! I will look into those websites and if anyone else has anyother ideas about what I could do please let me know!!!
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I'm not adopted but I have placed a baby for adoption and I'm in the process of adopting a child now. I have been re-united with my birth-daughter.
The place of birth on your birth certificate is your real place of birth. No matter where your adoptive parents lived when they adopted you, the court orders the originating birth certificate issuer to issue a new birth certificate with your adoptive parents' names. However, the place of birth never changes.
There are tons of adoption registries and I recommend that you get yourself listed on many of them.
It is okay to search for your bio-parents even if you want more than just medical information. Some adoptees search, find enough information and stop before actually meeting them. You'll know what to do when the time comes.
Good luck on your search.
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Originally Posted by Cookie2
The place of birth on your birth certificate is your real place of birth. No matter where your adoptive parents lived when they adopted you, the court orders the originating birth certificate issuer to issue a new birth certificate with your adoptive parents' names. However, the place of birth never changes.
Actually, that is not true. My parents were given the option to put "Fulton County - Atlanta" where I was born or "Gwinnett County - Lawrenceville" where the adoption was finalized and they lived. They chose where I was born.
Maybe it is dependent on where the adoption/birth took place (Klippy and I were both adopted in Georgia), I don't know, but I always found that sort of odd that they were given the choice. Like my birthplace would have been different. I guess I should feel lucky they didn't change my actual birthdate. Or at least I assume they didn't. . .
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This has been very interesting for me to read, and I am forwarding the whole conversation to my sil. She was adopted at birth by a couple who thought it "politically correct" to have children..not because they really wanted her (or later on her adopted brother). She was never abused, but she was definitely neglected. She even had to buy her own personal hygiene items from the time she was old enough to make a $1 off of doing any odd job for neighbors, etc. To this day, she rocks, even while in a stationary chair. The driver's seat in her van had to actually be replaced due to her rocking while driving..and they go through furniture like crazy! She doesn't even have to be IN a chair to rock, though...just an old nervous habit from childhood during the neglect.
Her adoptive dad died last year, and she and her adoptive mom only talk occassionally. However, there was a huge guilt put on her for even wondering about her biological parents..enough that she while she really really wants to do this, she has always held back from the guilt alone. She says the same things as you guys...for medical info alone, she wants to do this....but always holds back. My inlaws took her in when she was 16ish...and she pretty much was raised by them after that. My dh actually dated her first..and then she moved on to my bil!! One of them was kind of "doomed" since she lived at their house and was hand picked by mil!!!
Anyhow..thanks for this conversation....I hope it helps MY sil...and others who may not post a reply, but are reading just the same!
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I am not saying I would NOT have a relationship with my birth mother but my biggest thing now is health info. If my BM was not interested in meeting me I hope I would be okay with that. This is such a pandora's Box - I am alittle scared to open it. I am very sad for your SIL. I did have a wonderful family to grow up in.
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Ummmmmmm I LIVE in Fulton County... right now!!!!! Is there anything I could do to help??!?!?!?!?!?!