TRENTON — New Jersey is joining other states that allow adult children who were adopted access to their original birth certificates.

The birth parents of as many as 300,000 children who were given up for adoption in the state face a Saturday deadline to decide whether to remove their names to protect their privacy. Otherwise, adult adoptees can get it.

State Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner says nearly 250 parents have requested anonymity while more than 700 adoptees have asked for their birth certificates as of Dec. 19.

Birth parents can also supply medical histories.

Those who choose to have their names redacted can reverse that decision at any time.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM