Closed adoptions, in which birth parents' identities or information are not disclosed, were the norm a generation ago; the privacy of all involved was carefully guarded. Today, however, more than half of all U.S. adoptions are considered open to some degree. Open adoption can mean many things, but at the minimum means that the adoptive parents receive information about the birth parents' histories and identities. The number of open adoptions is growing, but the questions and problems are also growing. Every state handles the matter differently, so be sure you get legal counsel before you decide one way or the other.