Views about allowing access to biological parent’s information have been shifting over the last few decades. Information about biological parents wasn’t commonly shared with children born before the 1980’s, who grew up with a genetic heritage mystery, including ethnicity, diseases that ran in their family history, and whether they had biological siblings out there. It left a lot of adopted or donor-conceived children with unanswered questions about themselves that were rarely answered.

Studies on children who were adopted or conceived with the help of a donor started to change opinion on keeping this biological information a secret. Laws are going into effect around the world that are giving people access to their bio parent’s information. This is especially beneficial to people born in the 1980’s or earlier, before it became more common for agencies to allow access to this information. People in their 30’s, 40’s and even older are finally getting the answers they’ve always wanted about their personal history.

Today, agencies are avoiding these decades-long searches by using the open adoption method. This method allows biological families and adoptive families to keep in touch with each other at a level that is comfortable for both parties. That might include simply swapping pictures once a year to monthly meet-ups at the park. This method of adoption has proven to be more beneficial to the children as well as the adults. Children can learn about their biological heritage and develop a sense of belonging, while all adults involved can be assured that the child is being well-cared for and loved.

The open adoption method is being increasingly used in donor situations, too, including embryo adoption. This allows donors to help select a family for their embryos and stay in contact to see the child being raised in a healthy, loving, and supportive environment. If you’d like to learn more about embryo donation and the open adoption method, visit www.embryoadoption.org.

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