This is a post aimed at educating the professionals who work with people having DNA testing who are familiar with and in a position to share unexpected findings such as incest/high ROH. At the end, we offer a call-to-action. NOTE: Please proceed to the full post only if you are prepared to read about shocking topics including sexual trauma, DNA trauma, severe family dysfunction and abuse.

John’s story starts with a personal medical crisis leading to a decision to search for information about his biological parentage. It ends with him embracing the truth of his biological origins, a situation that many others in the same shoes have struggled to accept because of society’s stigma around conceptions between parents who are related to each other.

ROH is very tricky topic but one we need to get comfortable talking about. It can happen to anyone of any age from any background.

Tracing individuals based on their relatives DNA and family trees are only part of what GEDmatch allows DNA researchers to do. Other tools are available on GEDmatch, including one called "Are Your Parents Related?"

Never stop doing the right thing, especially when it comes to extending compassion, acceptance, and support to those affected by stigma.

Sometimes in the course of testing DNA, we get a surprise with the results. A surprise we have found happening more often the more we test is the DNA feature of high levels of ROH.