Has anyone done a 23 and me on their adoptive child? Health and ancestry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here- I’m mainly interested I. Finding her health background...

That is a huge violation of trust.

No, it isn't BUT you are much better going through a doctor so it is protected. We did genetic testing on our child per the doctor's recommendations but it is part of his medical records not data center. Nothing was found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here- I’m mainly interested I. Finding her health background...

Has anything about your health care ever changed based on your own family history?

Yes. My moms breast cancer means I have started testing earlier. Also history of colon cancer means earlier screenings. It would make the cancer much less deadly.

[Anonymous]

Cant you make up a fake name/ profile when you put the info out there?

[Anonymous]

Use a fake email account, don't put in the child's real name or your name and use a Visa gift card to pay. That will add a layer of privacy and protection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cant you make up a fake name/ profile when you put the info out there?

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cant you make up a fake name/ profile when you put the info out there?

Anyone?

Yes I think you could. But more importantly, there is NO WAY that people can get in contact with--meaning, find-- you or your kid; it's totally protected that way. And you CAN email back and forth with any member on the website (not your email) and discuss stuff. So you could say, find a 1st cousin and email back and forth, trying say to find the common ancestor, but they don't know where you live or your real email address.

My friend did 23andMe for herself and her adopted teen DD (her teen daughter wanted to do it). First, her teen DD is AA and Latina, and it was totally cool for them to see where her ancestors hailed from. Second, she found relatives on her bio father's side and they communicated, but again as I stated, it's secure and those relatives cannot find her in real life.

On this separate health issue...IMO this is really not the way to do it, if you are looking for health info. 23andMe in America is too regulated now, so they can't really tell you what they used to be able to tell you. There is a workaround called Promethease.com. But I think: Don't go looking for health risk info; it's not that helpful, really. If you need that, go to a doctor. I don't think oral bio family history is that helpful vs. the stuff they can do nowadays with tests.

If you really want to look into all this, find someone IRL who has done it, and have them navigate through their results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have thought about it because DD is AA and I would love to know exactly where she is from and be able to tell her when we talk about her roots. AS oppopsed to just saying Africa, being able to say you are from kenya for example.
But for the same reasons as others have posted I have not and will not do it. When she turns 18 it will be her choice.
I am also concerned aabout bio relatives getting involved before she is an adult.

It doesn’t work that way. She’ll get broad areas of Africa and likely more than one broad area. Of my 74% SubSaharan African ancestry, 23 and me named 3 big regions including West, Central, and East. Basically everything except Southern. Not helpful.

[Anonymous]

I was adopted at 2 months. My adoptive family all died from various cancers by age 23. I am 30 now and have not done any of the tests. My doctor keeps offering genetic testing, but I don’t want to know. I don’t care about my biological family, and after watching my adoptive family die, I don’t want to live in fear that I may have inherited something and have the same fate.

This cannot be undone. I would advise against it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m an adoptive mom and I would never do that. When my kids are older they can make that decision for themselves, understanding the risks and benefits. I don’t think I have the right to choose to put their info out there.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was adopted at 2 months. My adoptive family all died from various cancers by age 23. I am 30 now and have not done any of the tests. My doctor keeps offering genetic testing, but I don’t want to know. I don’t care about my biological family, and after watching my adoptive family die, I don’t want to live in fear that I may have inherited something and have the same fate.

This cannot be undone. I would advise against it.

Sorry for you loss but I’m confused. Who raised you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cant you make up a fake name/ profile when you put the info out there?

Anyone?

Yes I think you could. But more importantly, there is NO WAY that people can get in contact with--meaning, find-- you or your kid; it's totally protected that way. And you CAN email back and forth with any member on the website (not your email) and discuss stuff. So you could say, find a 1st cousin and email back and forth, trying say to find the common ancestor, but they don't know where you live or your real email address.

My friend did 23andMe for herself and her adopted teen DD (her teen daughter wanted to do it). First, her teen DD is AA and Latina, and it was totally cool for them to see where her ancestors hailed from. Second, she found relatives on her bio father's side and they communicated, but again as I stated, it's secure and those relatives cannot find her in real life.

On this separate health issue...IMO this is really not the way to do it, if you are looking for health info. 23andMe in America is too regulated now, so they can't really tell you what they used to be able to tell you. There is a workaround called Promethease.com. But I think: Don't go looking for health risk info; it's not that helpful, really. If you need that, go to a doctor. I don't think oral bio family history is that helpful vs. the stuff they can do nowadays with tests.

If you really want to look into all this, find someone IRL who has done it, and have them navigate through their results.

This PP is correct. You can choose to make your contact information public on the site, or not. And they hardly give you any health info anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was adopted at 2 months. My adoptive family all died from various cancers by age 23. I am 30 now and have not done any of the tests. My doctor keeps offering genetic testing, but I don’t want to know. I don’t care about my biological family, and after watching my adoptive family die, I don’t want to live in fear that I may have inherited something and have the same fate.

This cannot be undone. I would advise against it.

Genetic testing doesn't work that way. They can't tell someone they are absolutely going to die from this or that. They can determine actual real genetic conditions - which there is a very high likliehood would already be known by the time a person reaches adulthood - or they can observe patterns or markers and suggest you follow up for additional testing for some conditions. And real genetic testing requires real, significant blood draws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is 10, I’m thinking about it but worried top- will her birth family find us this way (we
are not ready for that )? What was your health outcome? Did you share the reply/answer with your adopted child?

There's something creepy and underhanded about even thinking of doing something so odious.

What a bizarre reply!!
What does this even mean - creepy and underhanded? Odious???

This is a consumer product widely advertised and easy to purchase.
It requires the individual to fully participate in the process.
10 yr ols can read and understand the basics of DNA.
There is no requirement to connect with others who might be related.

[Anonymous]

I did it for ancestry but health wise. I don’t need yo know what I suspect.

[Anonymous]

Fake name. And change any settings you can to avoid coming up with family matches at this point. If you aren't doing this because of current health issues, I would wait until DC is an adult.