"Happy Sperm"
Here is a variant on DNA testing by adoptees trying to locate their biological relatives – for example, see DNAAdoption.com, which is packed with useful genetic genealogy information that many of us who aren't adopted find very useful. DonorChildren.com is a new social networking site and registry aimed at Donor Conceived People (DCP), Sperm and Egg Donors, and Parents of DCP's launched a few days ago.
Social Media? – NO, I'm more of the "antisocial media" type myself, so it's surprising I even came across it. Instead of Tweeting my inane goings-on to cyberspace, or spending hours each week on Facebook or the like, I spend an inordinate amount of time working on DNA matches for genetic genealogy! I came across DonorChildren.com via a posting by their Admin on Family Tree DNA Forums and he indicated "We refer our members to FTDNA" – I incorrectly assumed that this was some sort of exclusive recommendation for Family Tree DNA until I read an identical posting except for "We refer our members to 23andme"!! I'm happy to recommend both Family Tree DNA and 23andMe as well. I've been tested at both companies and my parents are in the process of being tested at both of them too (only because I bought their kits and they know how much I'm dying to get my hands on their DNA results). But see below for the new webpage I've added with my recommendations for which company to use if you don't live in the USA.
Social Media? – NO, I'm more of the "antisocial media" type myself, so it's surprising I even came across it. Instead of Tweeting my inane goings-on to cyberspace, or spending hours each week on Facebook or the like, I spend an inordinate amount of time working on DNA matches for genetic genealogy! I came across DonorChildren.com via a posting by their Admin on Family Tree DNA Forums and he indicated "We refer our members to FTDNA" – I incorrectly assumed that this was some sort of exclusive recommendation for Family Tree DNA until I read an identical posting except for "We refer our members to 23andme"!! I'm happy to recommend both Family Tree DNA and 23andMe as well. I've been tested at both companies and my parents are in the process of being tested at both of them too (only because I bought their kits and they know how much I'm dying to get my hands on their DNA results). But see below for the new webpage I've added with my recommendations for which company to use if you don't live in the USA.
DonorChildren.com doesn't (yet) have any information or a group dealing with DNA, although some links are provided on their Resources tab. Until I heard of this website, I'd never given one moment of thought to how consumer DNA testing could have implications for sperm donors in particular (where an individual, not infrequently a medical student, may be the biological father of dozens of children) but also for egg donors. Many of the sperm donors will have expected to remain anonymous, and yet the DNA they passed on could easily change all that. And if the actual children of the donor (who were conceived in the normal way) undergo DNA testing, they may wonder if their Dad had a very promiscuous past or had been cheating on their mother.
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From one quick Google search:
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The Delivery Man (2013) – The Official Trailer (2:32)
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The highest number of children that I've identified from a single marriage for any of my ancestors is 13 (4 of whom died in childhood), born to my 3rd great grandparents Joseph Dumbell (1794-1866) and Sarah Makin (1799-1863) from Liverpool, Lancashire – that wasn't so unusual in the 18th and 19th centuries. Just imagine trying to do the family trees for any of the descendants of the New York sperm donor above who reportedly had 150 children – YIKES! And it really ups the odds for them finding close DNA matches when they have over a 50-fold more (half) siblings than the average US family of ~2.6 children (Source).
UPDATE (8 January 2014)
Recommendations
- An excellent webinar by Elise Friedman: Family Tree DNA Results Explained, Part 1: Y-DNA, which I expect will be appearing Here as a FREE webinar, just like Introduction to Genetic Genealogy at Family Tree DNA (also free). I'll post an update if this link here is incorrect. You will have to register, but there is no charge.
- One Chromosome, Two Sides, No Zipper – ICW and the Matrix – a really key blog posting by Roberta Estes for those who have had the Family Finder test (autosomal DNA) at Family Tree DNA, explaining how amazingly useful the new Matrix tool and the ICW (In Common With) tool are and how to use them. A MUST READ – thanks, Roberta.
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Using AncestryDNA: Steps to Success – a blog posting by Shannon Christmas explaining how to use free third-party tools (Chrome extension from Jeff Snavely and the wonderful website GEDmatch) to get over the fact that AncestryDNA does not have a chromosome browser.
What's New on GenealogyJunkie.net?
- Family Tree URL, GEDmatch Numbers & DNA Usernames – NEW (22 December 2013). I've provided the URL for my on-line Ancestry tree, and GEDmatch numbers and usernames at FTDNA, 23andMe, and AncestryDNA for me and family members.
- Notes for UK (& Ex-US) Residents re. DNA Testing Companies – NEW (21 December 2013). I've written this as most of my newly found cousins from genealogy research, who I'm encouraging to undergo DNA testing, don't live in the USA.
