“Guidance for the Newly Discovered ‘Bio Dad’ and His Family”: Molly Corrigan Gives Voice to a Silent Group Whose Lives Change After a DNA Discovery
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. Visit https://fatherdaughterdnamatch.com for more information.
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
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:
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.
THREE WAYS TO READ AN UNEXPECTED FATHER-DAUGHTER DNA MATCH
Interested in understand more about the impact of consumer DNA testing on the lives of people like you? Corrigan’s episode follows Maggie Chenard, Stephen Anderson, Dani Shapiro, Libby Copeland, and others. Subscribe to DNA Clarity and Support wherever you listen, and never miss an episode!
