Searching for Your Biological Family

A man in scrubs holding a digital rendering of a human body

No matter how loving and supportive an adopted family is, adoptees often have a lingering desire to find their birth parents. But the search for one’s biological family is often hampered by laws intended to protect individuals who give their children up for adoption, and who want their identifying information to remain confidential. Thanks to technological advancements, there are more avenues of inquiry open to adoptees searching for their biological roots, including DNA testing services.

Contacting the Adoption Agency

Talk to all of your adoptive family members, and press them for details about your origins. If possible, find out the name of the adoption agency, the hospital where you were born, and your exact date of birth. Contact the hospital and ask them to look up your birth certificate. Contact the adoption agency and ask them to give you all the information they are legally able to share.

Signing Up for Mutual Consent Registries

There are many mutual consent registries online. These compile all known information to help people find each other. Sign up for as many registries as you can find, as you’ll only receive information from a registry at which your biological relatives have also entered their data.

Sending in DNA Samples

Another option is to order a DNA testing kit from a genealogy service. Know that the results can take a while to get back to you, and you’ll only find out about possible relatives who have also submitted their DNA samples to that particular testing service. You should also know that the results aren’t necessarily 100% accurate.

Confirming the Results with an Accredited Lab

Even if you do choose to submit your DNA sample to a genealogy testing service, the only way to be sure that you’re related to any particular person is to have the DNA tested by an accredited lab. An accredited lab follows rigorous standards throughout the collections and testing processes. If you think you’ve identified a biological relative, you can ask him or her to visit the accredited lab with you to provide DNA samples.
Oschmann Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing, and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. If you’re searching for your biological family, you can call us at (800) 224-8532 to inquire about our DNA testing services at our accredited lab.

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