This episode has been reported to be a trigger for those who are the adoptee, donor-conceived person, or NPE/MPE in a surprise family member discovery. The experience and perspective of those individuals are not covered. 

With the increasing popularity of at-home consumer DNA testing through companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe, more and more men are finding previously unknown offspring. For a man with a wife and family, this discovery presents unique challenges, particularly if that newfound "child" is a grown woman. 

In this episode, host Brianne interviews Molly Corrigan, the author of the short guide "An Unexpected Father-Daughter DNA Match." Corrigan wrote this straightforward, quick read with input from her husband to support the discovered biological father and his family. It's a resource she describes as something she wishes had existed when their family was suddenly faced with a surprise biological child discovered through an extended family member's DNA test. 

Blog posts about the biological father and family side of DNA discoveries are less common, but these are some of the most often visited and read of all guest posts on the Watershed DNA blog. Read more below:

Two biological fathers share their experiences

Molly describes the reason for creating "An Unexpected Father-Daughter DNA Match"

Laura describes the shock and grief experience that happened from the appearance of an adult child for she and her husband who were child-free by choice

Many NPEs, adoptees, and others who reach out to biological relatives have a desire for medical information. Although the adoptee who reached out to the Corrigan family reportedly did not ask about it this, medical history a common and valid reason for outreach. Family medical history is a cornerstone of the medical record, as it can help forewarn some people of potential threats to their health and future generations of the family.

Read more on the topic of gathering family history here:

A blog post about the importance of family medical history, how to gather it, and what to do if you can't

What to focus on when asking about family medical history

For more details on this, check out chapters 20-27 in The DNA Guide for Adoptees.

Ways to read An Unexpected Father-Daughter DNA Match:

Find a paper copy on Amazon

Read on Kindle