Didn't find original birth certificate

March 5, 2010

I just learned that I was born in Durham, NC at Duke Hospital. I went to Durham today to search the birth certificates with the info I have. I have my birth mother's date of birth, age at my birth, city she was from and my birth father's age at my birth. I did not find a match. But I did see where pages had been removed and there was a page inserted stating that the page had been removed on a certain date. I believe my records where sealed, but I didn't know if that meant my original birth certificate too.

Would the adopted birth certificates been removed? Can the public get to those?

Any experience in this is welcomed. thanks

BrandyHagz

March 5, 2010

Your original birth certificate is part of your 'record' which is sealed.

Unless you live in a state where access to your records or original birth certificate is allowed, then you won't have access to the original birth certificate.

The only information you will have access to is the amended certificate and any documents your adoptive parents might have held on to...unless you go to court and get the records unsealed.

There is currently a large movement of those in the adoption community to get the original birth certificate unsealed and make them available to all adoptees. If that's something you're interested in, you might consider supporting the cause by voting for it on Change.org

[url=http://www.change.org/ideas/view/return_adult_adoptees_the_right_to_their_original_birth_certificates]Return Adult Adoptees the right to their Original Birth Certificates | Ideas for Change in America | Change.org[/url]

Good luck with your search!