About Abi Expertise I can answer questions on the emotional side of being an adoptee and on searching for adopted persons & birth parents.
Experience I was adopted from birth myself, and have found my own birth parents (both in UK and Spain) having had very little information to go on. I have also had a lot of experience researching information for others.
Expert: Abi Date: 4/27/2005 Subject: Finding my real birthparents
Question I am a 35 year old man. I was adopted in Zanesville,Ohio when I was about 4-6 weeks old. I have my birth certificate that stated I was born in Zanesville,Ohio at Bethesda Hosp. on August 21,1969 by Dr.Goodrich. My adoptive parents have stated that they know nothing of my real parents, that no details were given. Could this be true. I have some health issues, and problems with some different things. I don't know if they're health problems linked to my birth parents or not. It's very hard when your admitted to the hospital and you have no past history to give the doctors. I would really like to know more about my birthparents, but I don't know where to start. If you can help me in anyway, please contact me. I don't believe that there were any adoption agencies or orphanages in Zanesville in 1969. I have children of my own, and healthwise would like to know what they could be up against in the future. Please any advice could help!
God Bless,
Ted
Answer Hi Ted,
I completely understand your need to locate your natural parents - if only to get a medical history. Unfortunately I only know about searching for people in the UK, but I can suggest the following for you to try:
- Question your adopted parents about your adoption as much as possible - the agencies/hospitals and people involved. I foind it hard to accept that they knew absolutely nothing about your situation before being adopted.
- Contact the hospital where you were born and try to find any original records on your birth - your natural mother must have given them her details when she was admitted there.
- You could try to find out who looked after you for the 6 weeks prior to your adoption - this should be in the adoption records if you can get them.
- contact the council of Zanesville and ask them where adoption records are kept and if there was any adoption agencies at that time (cant your adopted parents remember where they adopted you from?)
- does your birth certificate state the names and ages of your natural parents - if so, then you could then try searching for them on the internet or through phone directories.
hope this helps - I really hope you find something out - best of luck
