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North Dakota Century Code 14-15-16 provides that an adopted individual, a birth parent, or a birth sibling of an adopted individual may initiate a search for the adoptee/ birth parent. As of August 1, 2003, an adult child of a deceased adopted individual may also initiate a search.

Non-identifying information about the adopted adult and the adopted adult's birth relatives may include:

Medical history is rarely updated by parties to the adoption, making the information as old as the adopted adult. Past records may contain sparse information collected at the time of the adoption either because a birth mother was hesitant to disclose information or because adoption agencies, private facilitators, and lawyers did not place importance on this information at the time. Additionally, knowledge regarding the genetic factors related to health has increased over the years, so that information requested at the time of adoption may not be as complete as would now be requested. State laws now require collection of more information at the time of the adoption for full disclosure of heath and background information to the adoptive parents.

More recent medical information may be obtained by requesting the agency search for the birth family and ask them to provide updated medical information.

Identifying information may lead to the positive identification of an adopted adult, birth mother, or birth father. Names, addresses, and dates contained in court records or submitted to the state Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, are usually considered identifying information.