Has not knowing your medical history as an adoptee affected whether or not you decide to have children?

Question

I asked a question about medical history yesterday and got some great answers, thanks!!

To follow that up, does not knowing your medical history affect your decision to have children, for those of you who are adoptees and don't have that info?

I'm wondering this partly because since my husband was adopted and we don't have his information, should we have considered not having kids in your opinion?

Here's the question, if that helps tell you where I was/am coming from:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20080110212915AA5rAcj

Answer 1

No it didn't influence my decision to have my own children.  The absence of medical history just makes me worry more for them

Answer 2

Initially it didn't.  After attempting to get my information, I am now concerned.  There is a possibility of incest.  Indiana is known for this and changing records as well.  

I worry for the sake of my daughters.  Its one thing to might have been born of a mixed race.  I am prepared for that one.  What if I am a product of incest?  What disorders will result within my children, grandchildren and so forth. They are part of the reason why I search.

Answer 3

I wouldn’t let that stop me from maybe having kids one day. Sure I don’t have any medical information other then what has been collected, but at most with my own biokids I would have my own medical stuff  collected through out my life, as well as the fathers family medical history assuming he isn’t adopted also. So they would have some medical information,  I would also have my child tested for genetic illness.

Answer 4

First off I would like to say that my Fiance is also adopted too.  Which I think is a brilliant idea because I love him so much and i think that it makes him a better person.  Any who I wouldn't ever think twice about having children with him.  And to be honest even if you were to do all the genitic testing there still could be times where they mess up.  My aunt had a baby who has down syndrom even though the test said that it was 1/1500 chance.  So my advice is if you're young, see where it all goes.

Answer 5

Not having my medical history affected not my decision to have children, but my ability to have them.

If my parents had had my complete updated medical history, we would have had information when I was young enough to correct my infertility issues.

Having finally met my family, and seeing the serious and  lethal birth defects that the grandchildren are showing, I am grateful that we we ended up adopting.

Answer 6

No, it didn't affect whether or not I decided to have children. In fact, being an adoptee, at least for me, made me want children all the more - to have a biological connection. However, I kept having miscarriages and my doctor was trying to figure out why. Not having my medical history made it very difficult. I ended up searching for and finding my natural mother and father. With the information I gained in finding them we were able to do genetics counseling with a reproductive endocrinologist. Prior to that I wasted thousands of dollars and insurance company money looking for a needle in a haystack.

I don't think it's about having kids or not having kids - it's about knowing as much information as possible FOR our children.

Answer 7

My situation is slightly different, as I knew my bio parents when I was quite young (my mother gently insisted I find them), but they didn't have a lot of access themselves to their own history, lol!

But no, the lack of knowledge didn't influence my decision, my husband and I worked on being healthy, creating a healthy environment and lifestyle, etc, which is all anyone can ever do.

Obviously the situation is different for people who have hereditary illnesses though.

Answer 8

I wouldn't let it stop me, but if you did have it and knew that there was a 50/50 change of a serious illness (like CF) where it will cause a lot of pain for the baby then i probably not do it.

Answer 9

It's strange, as much as I feel that medical history is important, I never considered this as a reason not to have kids.   Never.  That is until this moment..Hmmm.  Too late.

It is a good question though.  I guess life is full of risks and no one has guarantees so we just forged ahead not really thinking about it.  We are more vigilant.  I always let my MD know at my kids checkups that I am adopted and, thus, we are missing half of my kids' history.  I think many people forget about this....lack of records affects the entire family.

Answer 10

I wouldn't let it worry you. Even if you knew the history that doesn't mean that your children would have any of the problems.  If everyone that had conditions in their history (cancer, heart problems etc.) didn't have kids because of it their wouldn't be many children born. Cause if you think about it almost every family has some kind of ailment in their history.  As for what your child might encounter in its life medically no one can say for sure.  Just like you and I don't know what may lie down the road. I know it hasn't bothered me not knowing because even if I did know like I said there is nothing written in stone that us or our children will have any of these problems.  The only real advantage knowing ones history is, that they can be more attentive to such things in maybe having checkups for certain things more like making sure you get your mammogram, have your blood pressure monitored more things like that.

Answer 11

Deciding to have kids is a completely personal decision that you and your husband need to make considering all the factors that will contribute to the situation.

Answer 12

Sort of.  I don't know where my alcoholism came from, but my ex-hub was also an alcoholic and came from a very addictive family background.  Since it's believed addictions have a genetic component, and it might be on both sides of the family, I decided I couldn't inflict that on a kid.  The odds would really be stacked against him or her!  

This was a much easier choice for me than some, however, because I having kids was never as important to me as it is to a lot of people I know.  I like kids, and I'm one of these women who's forever being told she'd be a good mother, but it's better that I didn't have kids, and I don't suffer for not having had them.

Answer 13

I think you should see a doctor am pretty sure he will let you know to make the right decision think about maybe is not to late after all god never forget us and everything will turn out to be alright .