The DNA test that showed two women had been swapped at birth

[SerendipityJane]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3njqd9nl9o

Google says paper wrist tags came out in the 50's

Something doesn't quite add up. Claire was on as his sibling, but Jessica wasn't. Well, Jessica hadn't been tested, so even if she'd been his biological sister, she wouldn't have featured as a match. Nor would she have been suggested as a hint or shown in 'thru lines' on Ancestry or its equivalent in another company, since living persons are only entered anonymously. So even if she'd been swept up by the site from another member's tree, there would have been no mention of her. The fact that Jessica didn't feature meant nothing, and it's surprising the BBC got something like that wrong.

Eh? I'm confused. Are you saying that Jessica could still be genetically related?

No, of course not, because Claire is genetically related and the mother knows she only had one daughter. I was simply remarking that the BBC had included irrelevant information. A relative who hasn't been tested can't come up in your list of matches.

Isn't that kind of irrelevant? Once he knew Clare was a full biological sibling with the same date and place of birth as Jessica it became quite obvious what had happened.

Jessica is in the same situation as Clare, both had a bombshell dropped on them. Clare has chosen to meet her family and Jessica has made her choice. Neither is in the wrong. Of course Claire has realised her birth mother is elderly and time of of the essence.

Jessica is not in the same situation as Clare. Jessica has not replaced anyone. Apart from the fact her birth mother died, they said that her birth mother refused to believe it or engage really. There may be a back story but either way, how dreadfully sad to have your family be so quick to embrace your alternative.

The band's my kids had set the alarms off at the maternity ward doors. You wouldn't have noticed unless you got close to the door.

No idea. I’m just telling people what RFID tags are and how they work.

Jessica has not replaced anyone.

Neither has Claire. Or do you think Joan and the rest of the family immediately stopped thinking of Jessica as one of the family as soon as Claire turned up? Never occurred to them that it was possible to have two daughters and two sisters? Left her out of family gatherings, didn't invite her for Christmas? Why do you think they would do that? Is that what you would do?

Yes sorry, I just can't see what was written in the article is true, appreciate your explaining what they are but I'm still no closer to understanding how they work to keep babies safe.

I was a bit off topic. Thanks for the heads up. I was just irritated by the article. 😁

I swear the point more being when he saw "full biological sibling' he expected Jessica's name but instead it was Claire.

Not suggesting it didn't add up. More it was a surprise to see the wrong/unknown name.

I had a very traumatic birth with my second but I could immediately recognise her as similar to my first but then I was awake with then H there too. all mine were well tagged by East and North Herts NHS Trust plus band. my parents worked in hospitals in 70s and 80s-different area and babies stayed with the mums they'd always say "it's not America" when they saw the newborn nurseries on tv

My DCs bands also set off the door alarms. They deactivated them on the system as part of the discharge procedure so you could bring babies home and keep the band. If you didn't go near to the doors you wouldn't have known as they were otherwise just plastic wrist bands with name, dob and hospital number on them.

No, i absolutely wouldn't do that. But listening to it I felt that Jessica's side was being a little disregarded. It's semantics over the word "replaced". Jessica has no place with her biological parents. Clare is now fully ingrained in her new mum's life. That must hurt Jessica terribly. I can't imagine how I'd feel if my mum suddenly discovered a daughter that looked just like her, lived so close by and couldn't do enough for her.

Neither has Claire. Or do you think Joan and the rest of the family immediately stopped thinking of Jessica as one of the family as soon as Claire turned up? Never occurred to them that it was possible to have two daughters and two sisters? Left her out of family gatherings, didn't invite her for Christmas? Why do you think they would do that? Is that what you would do? no. But then I wouldn’t have fully embraced a child into my life that I’d never raised just because we shared biology. Jessica would have been and remained my daughter. You don’t gain a daughter just because it so happened that there was a mix-up.

Jessica absolutely was replaced.

Joan has made her feelings on the matter very clear. she’s said she still sees Jessica as her daughter, but she is fully embraced in Claire, not one word of regret or sadness that Jessica no longer even calls her mum. That speaks volumes.

I recommend listening to the podcast. It gives a slightly different light to the whole thing.

I suspect the opportunity for accidental swapping is pretty much diminished now as for the most part baby stays with you. It used to be normal for babies to only be brought to their mothers for feeding and otherwise looked after in the nursery (presumably by tired, busy nurses!)

I had two of my babies in the same hospital and they both had these electronic tags on their ankles that would apparently set off alarms on the main doors to the maternity ward if they were taken through them. I had my youngest at a different hospital under a different trust and they only had the white wristband with nhs number and surname on.

Only with well mothers and babies.

You are talking nonsense.

I think Ancestry and 23 and me should have some genetic counselling options in the event of something like this - seems irresponsible to unleash DNA family knowledge without responsibility.

It's well recognised that for children who are adopted that a careful process is followed for all concerned.

My twins is ankle and bracelets came off constantly but luckily one had blue eyes, the other brown🤣I'm also mystified by the existence of mythical trackers.... Kids born from late 90s to 2000s... Sharpie on paper only.

Having counselling available wouldn't make a blind bit of difference imho.

And while Ancestry may have a degree of obligation to its customers but what about all the people who aren't their customers? Say Joe does a test and finds out he has a paternal half sibling. Joe's Dad hates it and kicks off and refuses to engage. Equally Joe's Mum has a complete breakdown over it. Meanwhile Joe's sister is in complete denial and says it's been tampered with. But since none of the others have an ancestry account doesn't have access to any service that might be available and they are customers.

Ancestry are ultimately not responsible for the actions of the father. Nor should they be held accountable for revealing them.

And doing another test might reveal Joe's mum isn't his mum and that Joe's mum had another daughter who is unrelated to go. Rather than merely ending up being a way to access services.

If there's that much concern DNA tests for commercial purposes should be banned as they are in a few countries.

But they won't be.

Lots if people do not get to hold their babies after they are born. I did with my second, but my first was straight into an incubator and wheeled past me on route to nicu. They paused for a second so I could see him, but he was wearing a hat and totally covered in wrapping. I only saw a wee, very squishy wee face. I took a quick photo, just so I had a wee something, and I sent dh with dc. I thought he needed a parent.

I can see how someone might not recognise a swap overnight.