To think this is an odd birthday request off DD?

[etonclean]

DD's birthday is in 2 weeks, she has asked for one of those DNA tests. She will be 19. Just in case someone asks I'd like to clarify it's not a "who's the daddy" test. You spit in a cup, send it off to the lab and then they get back to you telling you which areas of the world your ancestors are from and what diseases you have a genetic predisposition to.

I've said I'll get her one but I think it's a bit odd. There's no family secrets, me and DH are both definitely her biological parents (!) and both families are very healthy. We also both have family tracing back to Ireland.

AIBU in worrying she thinks there is some secret we are keeping from her about who she is? Or am I just being paranoid? She usually asks for makeup. DH got upset when I told him what she had asked for as he thought she must think he's not her dad, managed to reassure him though.

I may be in a minority but I really wouldn't care about a company having my DNA.

I'd love to do one, but I am 99% convinced the results will be "110% Yorkshire"

I’d be cautious. If it comes back with likelihood of certain diseases it could make insurance sky high/not possible

Sorry - but I have to correct this.

Predictive genetic testing only has to be disclosed if life insurance > £500,000:is being applied for AND the condition then predictive genetic testing relates to is Huntington's.

This is through an agreement between the UK government and the Association of British Insurers (Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance)

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I got one for my mother as a present.

She loved it - especially interested that Her ancestry wasn't pure Anglo Saxon . However, what was freaky was that they could tell precisely what bit of the UK she was from

Nothing odd about it, I did one and found it fascinating. But... beware of accuracy!
I did mine through Ancestry, paid something like £100. Got my results and was fascinated to discover I was mostly Scandinavian origin, with a bit of Western Europe and some Irish. A few months later I got an email update telling me that as more and more people take part the results are refined. My updated results were that I was mostly Irish, also a chunk of English, with a bit of Scandinavian and no Western Europe.
A few months after that - surprise - the results are updated again, I am now mostly English, a fraction Irish and Scandinavian, nothing else.
It was interesting, but I don't trust the results and since it's changed three times already I regret spending so much on it.

The more people who do it and the greater the dataset, the greater likelihood of some accuracy

I’d be cautious. If it comes back with likelihood of certain diseases it could make insurance sky high/not possible

The Ancestry one doesn’t give any information about diseases or health. It is about where you come from....

Just be prepared to tell her they are NOT 100% accurate.
The horror stories about those tests!
Told a guy that was 100% Italian that he was African.
Told a girl her father wasnt her father but he is.
Endless!

Im a bit confused. I thought these tests just showed you your geographical heritage? For example, 50% African, 30% Italian etc? Nothing to do with immediate family?

My friend just bought her partner and Dad one of these for Christmas, I found it weird too.

@CAG12

You're right

However, you have the 'share matches' option to show people who have similar genetic male up and who are related and likely degree of kinship. (Of course you don't have to use your actual name if you elect for this option - just like here!)

@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou

Exactly !

Plus even if you got one of the genetic testing ones, as mentioned above, it doesn't impact insurance unless you're applying for life insurance AND it predicts Huntington's

I have seen a few people advertising this kit on Instagram the last few weeks. O think it's just a cool fad (haha that make me sound like such an old lady)

Does she like Carrie Hope Fletcher ? She did a story on it the other day on Instagram. I thought about getting it for my father in law.

I think it's more strange that you guys are panicking that it means she doesn't trust you ?!?

They're completely unreliable so it's a waste of money.

They're completely unreliable so it's a waste of money.

They must be a bit reliable. Mine has matched me up with lots of people that I know I really am related to. So has DHs.

I got one ages ago and never used it for the same reasons people mentioned- the way they harvest data is unregulated, you have no clue what they are going to do with it, so I decided not to. But if you are not bothered, all the test tells oyu where your ancestors came from. Which is uber vague anyway. At this stage, does it matter a couple of hundred/thousands years ago you had ancestors in India or Egypt? We are such a mixed population it actually shows you nothing.

Incidentally.. I just got an email saying Ancestry DNA test is just £49 plus shipping this week (usually £79).

Police has traced criminals using these data bases, so you need to be sure you’re n out dropping a family member in it!!

Not a good idea if you are twin to somebody like Ronnie/Reggie Kray then....

@Shooturlocalmethdealer- that is the point of the test, no one in the world is 100% anything at all. The 100% Italian guy had ancestors (like we all) in Africa. Migrating tribes, etc etc. Over thousands of years of people migrating and mixing, you can never be 100% of anything at all, as your genetic makeup is not related to your current nationality.

My parents and grand parents and great grandparents, as far as we tracked, are of the same nationality. But their ancestors came from somewhere, so would not be surprised to see Asian or African origins in my family.

Thanks, @BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou!

They're completely unreliable so it's a waste of money.

Not necessarily. Mine certainly backs up my findings from a few years worth of research.

As for criminals in the family. Well, if they've nothing to hide they'll be okay won't they? Not my fault if they've got a criminal past.

I’ve seen this a lot on YouTube. One guy found a recent relative wasn’t from where they said they were. Also showed he was mainly African.

I think it’s cool gift and wouldn’t be worried unless you are nervous a family secret is to come out or either of you show racist behaviour.

But you are at most what going 3 at a stretch 4 generations back. And you don’t know if those were honest. Husband is 40 and he learned from his dad talking to me last week that his last name used to be longer and likely changed the meaning of it, not so far back. And his great or great x2 grandads mistress who deedpoll changed her name as they had 2 kids. And his grandad meeting his uncle how they found out. Just because you’re open with her doesn’t mean there are no secrets. It’s an interesting subject and the easiest way to start on looking into your families past. Wrong side of the blanket was usually not so well kept track off.

Complete waste of money, they are unreliable at best. They use probabilities that are questionable. Not to mention you cannot guarantee they won't sell it on.

After watching the Ant & Dec programme m about DNA and genealogy etc myself and hubby talked about this - both saying before we watched the programme we couldn't see the point - but after watching we joked about buying each other one for Christmas.
I'm wondering if it's the same sort of thing for your daughter? X

I have done one ages ago and it was a waste of money. I think it said something like 90% Irish, 5% German and 5% Scandinavian. I don't have any relatives that are German or Scandinavian so I have no idea where that came from.