Iowa Adoption Records
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Accessing Iowa Adoption Records
Iowa adoption records are sealed, and you can only access them with a court petition. However, Iowa recently began allowing adoptees to obtain copies of their original birth certificates. This document usually lists the birth parents’ names, unless they’ve requested to remain anonymous.
Like in many other states, accessing adoption records in Iowa can be a long and overwhelming process. At Adopted.com, we created a better way to quickly connect family members through mutual consent.
When you join Adopted.com, you can search for biological relatives in Iowa and across the country. You don’t need to fill out a complicated form or plead your case to a court. You just need to answer ten easy questions about the adoption, which most people already know.
We have the largest voluntary adoption reunion registry in the United States. Whether you’re in Dubuque, Sioux City, or anywhere in between, you have the opportunity to reunite with your birth family on Adopted.com.
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4,422 Are Iowa Adoption Records Public?
No. Iowa seals all records once an adoption is finalized. These records aren’t accessible without a court order showing good cause to open them.
While Iowa adoption records are sealed, adult adoptees can request some information from their files, including medical histories. This information won’t include the birth parents’ names.
How to Find Adoption Records in Iowa
In 2022, a new state law went into effect that allows an adult adoptee born in Iowa to get a non-certified copy of their original birth certificate. This document will have the names of the adoptee’s biological parents. However, birth parents can request to redact their names if they don’t want them released.
If you want to obtain your original birth certificate, complete an application with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). Your application must be notarized. Submit the notarized application, a copy of a government-issued photo ID, and a fee to IDPH Bureau of Health Statistics in Des Moines. You can mail the form or submit it to the bureau in person.
Only adoptees over the age of 18 can request original birth certificates in Iowa. However, other relatives can get these records if an adoptee has died. These include an adoptee’s spouse, children, grandchildren, and their adoptive parents, siblings, and grandparents.
After making your request, the state estimates it will take six to eight weeks to get an original birth certificate.
How to Unseal Adoption Records in Iowa
For adoption records besides the original birth certificate, you need to petition the court for access. Complete an adoption affidavit form, which requires you to provide a reason for the request. Have the form notarized and file it with the court that handled the adoption.
If you’re trying to locate a birth relative, you have one other option through the state. Iowa has a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry for adoptees, birth parents, and biological siblings. If you and one of your family members both join the registry, the state will notify you of the match. There’s no guarantee there will be a match, and the state will not conduct a search for your birth relatives.
You can register with the country registrar’s office where you live. Country registrars usually work in county courthouses or county administration offices. You must pay a fee and provide a copy of your birth certificate to join the registry.
Are Adoptions Closed in Iowa?
In Iowa, adoptions can be open or closed. An open adoption means the adoptive family knows the birth parents’ identities. The birth mother or both birth parents may have ongoing contact with the child through phone calls, social media, or in-person visits. In a closed adoption, the birth parents’ identities remain confidential, and they have no contact with the child after the adoption.
Whether an adoption is open or closed, Iowa seals all adoption records. You can only access them by petitioning the court.
Let Adopted.com help you find your lost family today!
Adopted.com is a powerful adoption reunion registry designed to help you reconnect with your birth parents. By registering, you gain access to a growing database of over 1,205,517 profiles, increasing your chances of finding your biological relatives. The platform respects your privacy and allows you to update your profile anytime.
Registration is free, and the unique search tool ensures measurable match results. When you find your birth parents, remember to approach the reunion with an open heart and understanding, as it can be an emotionally significant experience for everyone involved.
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A Few of Our Members Currently Searching Within Iowa Who Chose To Be Featured
1591. Macpatlau : Baby girl given up throygh adoption in Fort Dodge Iowa - born 10-19-1967 born at Fort dodge hospital. Mother was at home for unwed mothers at the time. Mother is Patty Lau
1592. Shanaenaegold : I was adopted by my stepfather in 2008 and my mother refuses to give me any information on my bio father only that his name being Anthony Smith but searching for this name has resulted in nothing. I’m almost 20 years old and want to find this missing piece of my past.
1593. Acebreann : I’m looking for my brother‚ Nickolas‚ who was born to Nichole and Jon (my dad). Possibly born in East Moline‚ IL.
1594. Julieav : Through my genealogy research it has become clear that my grandpa‚ Richard Markussen was adopted. His birth certificate says he was born in Cedar Falls‚ Iowa to Louis and Marie Markussen on March 26‚ 1909.
1595. Holtkamprandy4 : I was adopted by Mark and Joann Holtkamp i was born at Sacred Heart Catholic hospital in Fort Madison‚ Iowa 52627 My real moms name is Mary I think but I have no knowledge of who my dad is Randy Conrad Holtkamp 4-20-1960
1596. Aznitesky : Iowa City‚ Iowa
1597. Angelaxr7 : My brother was born on 7/2/1976 and was taken from my mom on 7/3/1976 as part of a black-market adoption ring common during that era in San Francisco‚ CA. The baby was taken from my 14 year old mom as she was a runaway at the time. She was released from the University of California San Francisco Hospital (San Francisco County). My mom was initially allowed to see the baby (left unattended in a portable crib by her hospital bed). The next morning‚ a hospital employee informed her that her baby had died. They would not allow her to see her baby again‚ and when she asked about the burial‚ the nurse told her it was against the rules and that her child would instead be buried in mass grave. They had her sign some form resembling a "contract" that she didn’t understand. A few years ago‚ I happened to cross paths with a retired RN who happened to work in the SF area during those years with her husband who was a physician. She was quite familiar with‚ and apologetic for‚ the unfortunate practice of black-market adoptions at those hospitals‚ during that era. She was a wealth of information and informed me that we are possibly looking for a child with a birth certificate filed within a few days of 7/2/76 with the generic name "Baby Boy" on the birth certificate. The retired RN I spoke with mentioned that the hospital staff would not have filed a false death certificate for these types of situations due to the legal implications of filing a false death record. On May 27‚ 2022 - We confirmed with the vital records office in San Francisco that there is a certificate of live birth but no death record exists for my brother which confirms he did not die in the hospital on July 3‚ 1976 and that the hospital indeed lied.
1598. Sand1964 : Was a white male son born in Des Moines Iowa
1599. Sand1964 : Would like to find my son he’s is white
1600. Rustirobbins : Contact me please I am bailey Joseph Wadsworth’s real mother and I would like to find my son
1601. JanetAnnAdams : Looking for my half brother. Born as James Adams I believe. I hear he was adopted and possibly moved out to the mid west from the east coast. My fathers Name is Roger Adams. I do not know my half brothers mothers name
1602. Jessica1254 : The story goes my father was adopted right from a Des Moines‚ IA hospital following his birth on 3/18/1954. I’ve been told the nurses named him Wayne and his adopted parents officially named him Norman Wayne Bruhns. My father tried finding his birth parents but did not succeed. My father has since passed at age 57. I’m in search of his family to find out about our medical history.
1603. RoxieBennett : He was adopted by a couple who was lawyers in Illinois somewhere!
1604. Lostinvermont : My adoption was closed‚ I was told there was a letter I could open when I was 18‚ the court denied me. Polk county Iowa. Don’t remember the private lawyer in Des Moines. All I know‚ Biological mother German nationality 5ft 6 in‚ 130 pounds. Biological father‚ 6ft 3in‚ 165 pounds and his aunt had a recognized mental illness. Does Moines Iowa Hospital- Lutheran Hospital possible Charles Johnson M.D. Biological parents MAY have been attending Drake University (or rumor)
1605. Hopefully13 : my father and 2 out of 6 siblings were adopted into the rowland family from iowa city iowa. we think my dad was born in waterloo iowa and that quite possibly his birth name was george krauss
