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"Q: I&amp;amp;#8217;m adopted. Can I get my family medical history? A: It may take a lot of work, but it&amp;amp;#8217;s usually possible and worth the effort; knowing your family history can help you manage health risks for everything from breast cancer to heart disease. Start by calling your adoption agency to see what records they&amp;amp;#8217;ll give you&amp;amp;#8212;many states now allow easier access to info like the birth mother&amp;amp;#8217;s name and medical history. Also call your state&amp;amp;#8217;s Department of Health and Human Services to request any records they may have. Childwelfare.gov should be your next stop. It has registries where birth parents can leave pertinent info in case their children come looking for it. The most important questions to answer: Did siblings, parents, aunts or uncles have breast or colon cancer? Did any die young (and of what)? Did men have heart attacks before 55 or women before 65? This data will help your doctor recommend preventive measures and whether you should be screened for the genetic markers for breast cancer or other conditions."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2007/08/your-doctor-adoption>