I think if you are going to put a child up for adoption you should give your family's heath history to the agency or family adopting, regardless if it is an open or closed adoption. The problem is often times you won't have the father's info. Either the mother doesn't know who the father is, or the father was never notified about the child. I think now many states require the father be notified, but I don't think all do. I don't know about opening an old adoption. I can't say I know anyone who has had a good experience with that.