Thanks to the democratization of DNA tests around the world, genetics has over the years become a powerful and essential tool in genealogical research. There are many reasons that can lead to a DNA test and genetic solutions as well, in this we would like to offer you a guide here to help you in the situation of a search for a family member or a family member. parent unknown.
Step 1: Classic Genealogy
Classic genealogy is practiced from archives and documents allowing the research of the ancestry or the descent of a person. This research sheds light on any statement that can explain and prove the relationship between members of a family over several generations.
It is always important to start with this administrative research or with family members in order to establish relationships between people as well as avenues for research. You can thus use acts of civil status, notarial or judicial archives, religious registers or any official or unwritten or oral document.
This process is the least expensive but the longest . Even if many archives and documents are made available by institutions or companies in order to help genealogical research. It requires an investment of time in the process and the information found is not always lucrative .
Step 2: Genetic Genealogy
Genetic genealogy is the use of DNA to discover or confirm biological connections between people. The tests arecarried out by laboratories by comparing the DNA with a database which brings together anthropological information, but also the genetic fingerprints of all the people tested. The intersection of data can create a likelihood of you relating to people on a family tree.
How it works ?
During a genetic test, your DNA will be segmented according to a protocol in order to be compared with all of the test participants. The laboratory will then present to you a number of more or less close matches that have similarities in their DNA with yours. This allows you to create a family tree of your family which is then continuously enriched as new genetic relatives take the test.
When searching for an unknown relative, it is always a good start to do Genealogy DNA testing. This allows you to be able to compare your DNA with thousands of other individuals who wish to try the same experiment.
The Genealogy DNA test allows you to :
- To receive the results of the correspondence test as soon as possible and to be able to get in touch with them.
- To make your DNA profile available so that one of your relatives can find you and contact you.
Genetic genealogy research is a service offered only by private companies, the majority of which are based in North America. Each laboratory has its own database and is jealously careful not to share it with others. Because the accuracy of results and the quality of service are based on the company's database and the trust it can bring to its customers.
However, when looking for a family member, it is very interesting to be able to put the odds in your favor and avoid losing opportunities by not being registered in the right database or with the right one. laboratory.
The choice of the company can be based on several criteria and we talk about it directly on our genealogy page which you can find attached. But we recommend all the same in this situation is to do a genealogy DNA test with as many laboratories as possible in order to multiply the possibilities of matches. It is also interesting when the laboratory makes it possible to cross-reference information from other companies. Thanks to genetic genealogy, we can find biological relatives with your DNA even if they have not done a DNA test themselves.
Step 3: The DNA Relationship Test
Whether or not you've done the previous steps, it's almost always a must to have a relationship DNA test when you've found a potential unknown parent .
The relationship test allows you to compare the DNA of a stranger directly with a family member. The accuracy of the test will still depend on knowledge of the family situation and the possibilities of comparison between the participants. Each test will respond to a particular statement, so it is essential to understand how it works and to choose the appropriate test.
We offer a guide s imple of use , you must answer a set of questions placing yourself in the position of a person seeking a biological parent. Depending on the family members available to participate, you may discover the most suitable and accurate DNA test for the situation.
Be aware, however, that DNA testing may not be useful in all possible situations .
How to trust ?
Finding a DNA test result can be a complicated time because it involves accepting a doubt, an expectation and sometimes a surprise. In this it is for some difficult to trust and believe the result obtained during a DNA test when it is different from that expected.
However, you can know the reliability of a test by checking these different factors:
- The quality of the samples
- Laboratory accreditation
- The choice of the test according to the family situation
- Compliance with instructions
How to understand your results?
The results are presented in the form of a table:
- Each column corresponding to a participant
- Each line has a compared gene
- The composition of the gene is represented by one or two digits / per person
Checking the participants' relationship: A sibling DNA test is an indirect test, the degree of certainty of which depends on the participants available for the test as well as the type of family relationship tested.
Thus, the laboratory calculates a statistical probability, from which it is possible to obtain inconclusive results .
The sibling DNA test comes with a relationship clue . This base-of-1 index expresses the probability of a common gene between the participants. The relationship index is then converted to a relationship percentage.
The results of the sibling tests should be interpreted in terms of probability and the sibling relationship index is translated into a percentage that can range from 0% to 99.99% .
- If the index is greater than 1 and your percentage is greater than 90%, the test is positive
- If the index is less than 1 and your percentage is less than 10%, then the test is negative
Why take a Legal DNA test?
Taking a legal DNA test can be useful in many legal proceedings or disputes concerning, among other things:
- Family law - alimony, visitation rights, custody ...
- Immigration procedure and family reunification
- Succession disputes
The peculiarity of the legal test lies in the strict rules relating to DNA sampling. Thusthe laboratory must provide a rigorous procedure to maintain the chain of custody of samples. from sampling to final analysis and results.
