KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Jan. 1, 2018, a new law takes effect in Missouri that will allow people who were adopted in Missouri to get a copy of their original birth certificate.
Those original birth certificates could have the names of the biological mother and father — giving adoptees an increased chance of finding their biological parents. Carolyn Pooler, a Kansas City woman who was adopted, has already applied for her original birth certificate and will be in Jefferson City on Tuesday to get her original birth certificate.
Pooler is 74 years old. She's has been searching for years to find her biological parents and find out if she has any siblings.
Last year, Pooler put her DNA in the 23andMe genetic registry. She was eventually contacted by a man who also submitted his DNA to the same registry and discovered they were a match. That man turned out to be her nephew.
Since then, Pooler has found two brothers and learned that she had a sister who died. Pooler has documents from the home where she was born. The documents are about her mother and father but she still wants her original birth certificate.
"It's my truth, my history and it fills in that missing pieces of my life before I was adopted," said Pooler.
In October 2017, people adopted in Missouri began applying for a copy of their original birth certificate. There is a $15 fee. To apply, contact the Missouri Bureau of Vital Statistics.
