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The OP is really confused, and I'm confused by what she wrote. Steve's comments are helpful, but what be more helpful is to tell her that either she misunderstood the test results, or the testing company has no idea what it's doing. You can't look at two DNA samples and determine that one person is the grandmother or aunt of the other.
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Originally Posted by aries63
There is nothing confusing about it for people who have been working with these kinds of DNA tests for years. We have already encountered exactly this type of situation many times. For newbies or people who don't understand how these very specific tests work, they can be easily confused. Steve's comments were way off the mark. Clearly he has no experience with these tests.
To aries63: My comments contained nothing specific about the personal-relationship tests described by the OP. I spoke only of DNA testing in general and the ever-changing technology, variability and sometimes fallibility that affects its results. Your remarks about what I said were pointless and off-target. I wonder what your connection might be to the three DNA testing agencies of which you spoke favorably. And to the one you described negatively?
To aries63: My comments contained nothing specific about the personal-relationship tests described by the OP.
But that's what this topic is about, so unless you have something to say about the specific topic of the personal relationship tests described by the OP, your comments are off topic and have nothing to do with what we're talking about. Feel free to start a new topic if you want to talk about something else, no one is saying your comments don't have any validity - but interjecting off topic comments here is just going to confuse people so please, start a new topic if you want to talk about something else.
Hmmm....weird...I posted a reply today and it's not showing
So, after searching for many years, I helped my friend find her sister in June. On the adoption decree the fathers name was listed as the same name of the father of her sister. She assumed they had the same father. There is no doubt they have the same mother. The parents were never married.
She met her sister in August and took the sample then. My friend had her DNA tested a few years ago through Ancestry. The DNA findings were >7cM=1,716.3 cM and Estimatednumberofgenerationsto MRCA=1.5
In trying to educate myself a little I read where you take 1716.3 and divide it by 68, which would give one 25.24%.
This made her realize either they had a different father, or possibly the test was flawed, which is why I asked about the drinking of liquid less than 30 minutes prior to the test. Seems it's a different father. What is weird is there is 2 other half siblings, one who passed away, (older than my friend and the sister)the other one they haven't contacted (the youngest of all of them). I've seen a picture of the one who passed away and I swear, I see her likeness in him. I also see a likeness in the Grandmother of the supposed father. So for someone who doesn't share that DNA, I really think she looks like family.
At least she found her sister, and knows who her mother was.. It doesn't matter to them if they are half-siblings to them., but they were a little surprised at the outcome of the DNA findings as they thought they were full siblings.
So, after searching for many years, I helped my friend find her sister in June. On the adoption decree the fathers name was listed as the same name of the father of her sister. She assumed they had the same father. There is no doubt they have the same mother. The parents were never married.
She met her sister in August and took the sample then. My friend had her DNA tested a few years ago through Ancestry. The DNA findings were >7cM=1,716.3 cM and Estimatednumberofgenerationsto MRCA=1.5
In trying to educate myself a little I read where you take 1716.3 and divide it by 68, which would give one 25.24%.
Yes, that is very consistent with half siblings.
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This made her realize either they had a different father, or possibly the test was flawed, which is why I asked about the drinking of liquid less than 30 minutes prior to the test. Seems it's a different father. What is weird is there is 2 other half siblings, one who passed away, (older than my friend and the sister)the other one they haven't contacted (the youngest of all of them). I've seen a picture of the one who passed away and I swear, I see her likeness in him. I also see a likeness in the Grandmother of the supposed father. So for someone who doesn't share that DNA, I really think she looks like family.
How does she know that the supposed father is not her father? What if her half sister is the one from a different, unknown father?
In any case, you can't really go by appearances, they can be very deceiving. My sister in law is adopted but actually looks a lot like her adopted mother - it's just a coincidence. It's very easy to read too much into appearances.
How does she know that the supposed father is not her father? What if her half sister is the one from a different, unknown father?
In any case, you can't really go by appearances, they can be very deceiving. My sister in law is adopted but actually looks a lot like her adopted mother - it's just a coincidence. It's very easy to read too much into appearances.
Yes, I did. Thought I was going a little nuts there, so thanks for seeing that mistake!
Interesting, just this evening my friend texted me that she had a call from a DNA cousin who she had tried to contact a while back. Of all days, she finally called. There are lots of matches in their DNA tree, and they figured that it had to be on the fathers side since her sister has no matches with that family.
So, within a few hours, we believe we have a name of someone who may have been her BF. Just trying to find more info, seems there is nothing after the early 1940's about him, yet we know he would have been around in the late 50's, when she was born.
To aries63: My comments contained nothing specific about the personal-relationship tests described by the OP. I spoke only of DNA testing in general and the ever-changing technology, variability and sometimes fallibility that affects its results. Your remarks about what I said were pointless and off-target. I wonder what your connection might be to the three DNA testing agencies of which you spoke favorably. And to the one you described negatively?
My connection is as one adoptee out of thousands who has successfully used the results from these testing companies to locate my birth family, and who has counseled numerous others on how to use this technology to answer exactly the type of question asked by the OP as well as many other relationship questions. It is well known in the professional genetic genealogy community which tests are highly accurate, and which are highly inaccurate. There are specialists in this field who write papers and blogs, and online communities as well as conferences and workshops dedicated to research and education in using DNA for genealogical purposes. You remarks indicate that you have no experience with any of the current uses for DNA in genealogy. The kind of question presented by the OP is a classic question that had nothing to do with possible fallibility of the test and everything to do with interpretation of results.
If you want to get up to speed with how genetic genealogy works (and it does work), so that you can give useful advice to people who want to be able to interpret their test results, you can start by taking a test and seeing for yourself what the experience is like. An then you can go to a conference such as the one coming up in San Diego and attend lectures:
i had family tree dna. it came back totally off the wall than i thought it would, I was not related to anybody in my family tree. Now we are talking Y dna. so after a while , I sent in another sample, under a different address, different name, different email. and it came back exactly like the first test. I figure Im just the bastard child.
Last edited by brownbagg; 10-07-2016 at 06:40 PM..
i had family tree dna. it came back totally off the wall than i thought it would, I was related to nobody in my family tree. Now we are talk Y dna. so after a while , I sent in another sample, under a different address, different name, different email. and it came back exactly like the first test. I figure Im just the bastard child.
Why do you think it showed you're related to nobody in your tree?
My friend (adopted at birth) recently found her sister. It was listed that they both had the same parents (both deceased, so can't do their DNA). They did the DNA but it came back saying my friend was either the grandmother of the sister (impossible as my friend is 4 years younger than her sister) or that she was her Aunt, which is highly unlikely as well. They for sure have the same Mother.
She mentioned to me today that the DNA test say not to drink anything 30 minutes prior to taking the sample. Her sister has dry mouth and was drinking less than 30 minutes before taking the sample.
Does anyone know if, or how, this could affect the results of the test, drinking prior to taking the sample?
Just trying to help her figure this out a bit.
The only reason they don't want you to drink before providing the sample is due to the fact that you might dilute the saliva and the yield of DNA would be too low for testing.
I would not put too much stock in these companies offering direct-to-consumer tests. If you really want quality DNA testing go to an MD or PhD diagnostic Geneticists and see what they recommend.
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Originally Posted by Eldemila
Has anyone had results that made them send new samples of their DNA to have the test redone, and if so, did the results change?
Yes I have had to send my sample in twice. I gave two samples and both did not yield enough DNA. I am thankful that 23andme were unable to get a high yield of my DNA sample after learning more about the less then information report that they offer.
No loss as my partner sent in his sample at the same time I did and his passed but the information you receive from the report is virtually meaningless. I am glad they refunded his money for my test.
You can read all about my experience in this thread.
The only reason they don't want you to drink before providing the sample is due to the fact that you might dilute the saliva and the yield of DNA would be too low for testing.
I would not put too much stock in these companies offering direct-to-consumer tests. If you really want quality DNA testing go to an MD or PhD diagnostic Geneticists and see what they recommend.
There is nothing unreliable about the raw data and DNA matching part of the direct-to-consumer tests.
Quote:
Yes I have had to send my sample in twice. I gave two samples and both did not yield enough DNA. I am thankful that 23andme were unable to get a high yield of my DNA sample after learning more about the less then information report that they offer.
No loss as my partner sent in his sample at the same time I did and his passed but the information you receive from the report is virtually meaningless. I am glad they refunded his money for my test.
You can read all about my experience in this thread.
The ethnicity results are the only part of the test that is not a precise science, but the raw data, DNA matching, and health reports, are not meaningless. People just put too much emphasis on the ethnicity results and don't understand the true value of the test is in other parts of results.
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