Father-Daughter DNA Match: A Wife's Perspective

Jack is back! We received a lot of listener feedback after his episode last month -- from wives, newly found bio fathers, as well as those who are searching for biological relatives.

Some searchers were curious about what would have made the discovery less unsettling and if Jack had suggestions for making first contact. He shares his thoughts on these and other topics with guest host Anna.

In this episode we welcome a husband. Jack was frustrated by the lack of support for men who discover a previously unknown adult child either directly or indirectly through a commercial DNA test. He wanted to share his experience and advice with other married men raising children who find themselves in the same position.

Jack refers to the blog he wrote for www.fatherdaughterdnamatch.com. It can be found here.

He also mentions the guide written by Molly Corrigan for men in his position. It can be found here.

If you have questions for Jack, please email [email protected].

If you'd like information about a support group for wives (one for newfound biological fathers is in the works), please email Anna at

Brooke's husband of 30 years discovered he had a 40-something biological son after another family member took a commercial DNA test. Brooke shares her experience of getting to know him and his family and urges other couples to be in "lockstep" before pursuing a relationship with a newly discovered biological son or daughter.

Ellen shares her family's October 2020 discovery of a 48-year-old biological daughter who was conceived when her husband of 27 years was just 16. Theirs is a story about assumptions made and rushed decisions — and their effect on a wife and sons who needed time to absorb the surprise. 

In episode two Skylar describes her family's discovery of an adult biological daughter and how it impacted her nearly 30-year marriage. 

Two years after discovering her husband had a biological daughter he never knew about, Anna reflects on the experience and reveals the pain, complexities — and silver linings — of a later-in-life consumer DNA test surprise. 

Anna found support through Watershed DNA (www.watersheddna.com) shortly after having made the initial discovery. The site provides resources for searchers and "searchees" as well as parents who realize they must share paternity truths with their children before a consumer DNA test does.   

Molly Corrigan, author of An Unexpected Father-Daughter DNA Match, provides an opportunity for wives of newfound biological fathers to share what it's like when a consumer DNA test shifts a family's reality.