Access to biological father's medical history?

[cochra1]

California

I'm not sure that this is the correct forum, but I couldn't find anything closer.

My husband's biological father has never recognized him, never spoken to him, never acknowledged him. As a child, my husband was adopted by his step-father, and has never had a need for anything from his biological father or asked for support in anyway.

But I'm now pregnant, and we're interested in knowing something about the paternal side of my husband's family. (We're in California. The natural father is in Pennsylvania.)

Do we have any rights to access such information? I believe that, when my husband was officially adopted by his step-father, the biological father was signed a form that gave up all rights (I think to this day he still denies his paternity, though my husband's mother wasn't seeing anyone else at the time of my husband's conception, and my husband looks a lot like the guy).

We don't want to start a war, but we want to make sure we go into this pregnancy with as much information as possible.

Thanks to all who weigh in.

 

[NotSoNew]

no you have no legal rights to that info at all!

 

[Momto1yrold]

I was curious about this too. What if child was not adopted by another man, can the child or childs mother get medical history from the fathers side?

 

[NotSoNew]

no one has any legal access to anyones medical records, except parents to their minor children.

 

[Agscabbage]

cochra1:
I am in the same boat as your husband almost. I have never met my biological father, yet when I became pregnant with my first, I had a lot of medical issues that were suggested to be genetic. I tried to find my sperm donnor, yet was blocked out at all ends. I finally was told by a lawyer that I had no right to search for his medical statistics. My biological father never even signed the birth certificate for me. The lawyer said that it is sad, but I had no rights what-so-ever to find out anything about him.

 

[nicetryadmin]

Your medical records, along with others, are protected by federal privacy laws. In this case, it's HIPPA.

 

[ceara19]

Your husband could always go through genetic testing to identify any reccessive he may carry that could cause problems to arise later. It's expensive, but without biodad's consent, it's one way you could get some medical backgroung info for your husband's dad's side of the family.

The only other thing I can think of would be to try and contact OTHER members of his family and see if they can give you any info.

 

[Momto1yrold]

Your husband could always go through genetic testing to identify any reccessive he may carry that could cause problems to arise later. It's expensive, but without biodad's consent, it's one way you could get some medical backgroung info for your husband's dad's side of the family.

The only other thing I can think of would be to try and contact OTHER members of his family and see if they can give you any info.

Genetic testing for me consisted of me sitting down with a doctor and telling them everything in my family medical history, obviously if one has no contact with dad then they cant tell hte other side of the history (thats the problem I ran into).

 

[nextwife]

I have no medical information at all from EITHER my kid's biomom or biodad. WE have neither the right nor ability to get it. She's now 8. We simply are vigilant about any medical concerns.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

California

I'm not sure that this is the correct forum, but I couldn't find anything closer.

My husband's biological father has never recognized him, never spoken to him, never acknowledged him. As a child, my husband was adopted by his step-father, and has never had a need for anything from his biological father or asked for support in anyway.

But I'm now pregnant, and we're interested in knowing something about the paternal side of my husband's family. (We're in California. The natural father is in Pennsylvania.)

Do we have any rights to access such information? I believe that, when my husband was officially adopted by his step-father, the biological father was signed a form that gave up all rights (I think to this day he still denies his paternity, though my husband's mother wasn't seeing anyone else at the time of my husband's conception, and my husband looks a lot like the guy).

We don't want to start a war, but we want to make sure we go into this pregnancy with as much information as possible.

Thanks to all who weigh in.

You have no rights to biodad's medical history, however, there are several options.

Since paternity was never established by DNA, then any medical information would be speculation only.

There is nothing to prevent you from contacting him or members of his family with your concerns. At this point they may cooporate in a private DNA test to determine paternity or familarial relaitonship, prior to any information gathering. Or you can seek genetic counseling and testing for things such as A1AD and CF etc prior to conception, at least you would know your risk for common genetic risks.