Adoption Acronyms

ABC
amended birth certificate. This is the birth certificate that is issued by the state after the adoption is finalized.

Adad
adoptive dad

Amom
adoptive mom

Aname
the adopted name that adopted parents give to their children.

Aparents
adopted parents

Asib
adoptive sibling

Bdad
birthfather

Bdau
birth daughter

Bfam
birth family

BMA
black market adoption

Bmom  
birth mom

Bname
the name that a child receives at birth from their birthparents.

Bparents
birth parents

Bsib
birth sibling

Bson
birth son

Brel
birth relative

CI
Confidential Intermediary

COB
City of birth

CW
Case Worker

DC
Death Certificate

DOB
Date of Birth

DSS
Department of Social Services

DVS
Department Of Vital Statistics

Finalization date
the date of the adoption proceedings which the adopted parents can say that the child is theirs.

ID Info
Identifying Information, information that enables adoptees to contact their biological family or family of origin.

KC
Kept Child

KD
Kept Daughter

KS
Kept Son

LBC
Long Form Birth Certificate

LDA
Late Discovery Adoptee - an adoptee who has discovered his adopted status

Non-id - non-identification or non-identifying info. Information that would not allow an adoptee to locate their biological parents. Information may include the time, and place of birth, medical history, ethnic and religious background, and how the parental rights were terminated. Different states and counties can have their own definition of non-identifying information.

Obit
Obituary announcement in newspaper

PA
Private Adoption

PI
Private Investigator

POB
Place of Birth

Relinquishment date
the date the birth parents signed a legal document giving up their rights to the child.

SSDI
Social Security Death Index

SOB
State of birth

triad
An adoptee, birthparent or adoptive parent

VS
Vital Statistics