Welcome to Watershed DNA
Search Topics
- DNA Surprise 40
- NPE 38
- DNA 33
- DNA Discovery 32
- Direct to Consumer DNA 23
- Adoption 21
- Adoptees 18
- Ancestry Testing 17
- Misattributed Parentage 17
- Family Search 16
- Home DNA Test 14
- Medical Genetics 14
- Donor Conception 13
- 23andMe 12
- Genetic Counselor 12
- Podcast 12
- Genetic Genealogy 11
- Biological Family 10
- Genetics 10
- DNA Test 9
- At Home Testing 8
- Biological Father 8
- DNA Shocks 8
- Family History 8
- Sperm Donation 8
- DNA Support 7
- DTC Genetics 7
- Genetic Counseling 7
- Raw Data 7
- Donor Conceived 6
- Promethease 6
- ROH 6
- Alzheimer 5
- DNA Guide for Adoptees 5
- DNA Podcast 5
- Family 5
- Forensic Genealogy 5
- Genetic Testing 5
- Paternity 5
- Resources 5
- Stem Cell Transplant 5
- Birth Parents 4
- Egg Donation 4
- Family Health History 4
- Family Secrets 4
- GEDMatch 4
- Non-Paternity 4
- Support 4
- Support Group 4
- Cousin Couples 3
What DNA Testing Can’t Tell You
You will find many articles online and shows on TV telling you all you can learn from DNA testing. You won’t find much about what DNA can’t tell you, so I’ll review a few of the common test types and talk about the details not often mentioned.
Genetic Counselors - Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Once a year, we celebrate Genetic Counselor Awareness Day! That day is upon us!
Birth Fathers Share What It Is Like to Find Out They Have an Adult Child They Never Knew About
Do you call them biological fathers? Birth dads? Found fathers, discovered dads, sires, or “men who fathered a child they were not aware of”?
5 Tips for an Adoption-Related Search
Here’s some advice I’ve gathered for those who are considering or already have involved DNA testing in an adoption-related search.
Can DNA Test Results Be Wrong? Yes.
Sometimes 23andMe reports an inaccurate DNA relationship between two testers. A half sibling is not always a half sibling. It could be a cousin, for example.
GSA Video on YouTube
This YouTube video went up a few days ago, created and posted by an adoptee named Blake who experienced GSA after reuniting with a biological parent (father/same-sex parent in his case).
Umbilical Cord Blood Donation and Ancestry Testing
Umbilical cord blood donation allows a type of stem cell transplant.
“Dear Brianne...I Was Adopted From the US to Europe. Can You Help Me?”
Are you hoping to locate biological family via records search, DNA testing, or possibly both?
“Dear Brianne...I Reached Out to My Unexpected Half-Sister but Now I’m Worried. Did I Jump the Gun?”
I recently received a message from someone who made an unexpected discovery of a new family member after doing DNA testing.
How to Tell if an Online DNA Test Is Legitimate
There are many varieties of DNA testing, some that are extensive scans of your DNA and some that provide focused or partial information.

