How Accurate Are DNA Tests, Really?
When a set of triplets took an at-home DNA ancestry test on set of The Doctors, their results were supposed to be identical. It makes sense, too.
They came from the same egg, they have the same DNA, therefore they SHOULD register the same heritage. Well....It didn't quite turn out that way.
Meet The Dahm Triplets
Nicole, Erica and Jaclyn Dahm are former Playboy playmates from Minnesota. They're so identical that their parents tattooed dots on their behinds to tell them apart. Their stunning good looks also landed them on shows like Boy Meets World, Family Feud, and Renovate My Family.
But, wait a second. If they look alike so much, they must have the same heritage, right?
Here's The Cup They Have To Spit Into
To complete the DNA test, the triplets spit in a cup and ship it off to get analyzed. A couple weeks later they make their appearance on the hit show The Doctors to analyze the results.
What they find is shocking.
The Fateful Day Finally Comes
On set of The Doctors, the triplets are informed their DNA test results had some discrepencies. Inside Edition journalist Lisa Guerrero teamed up with the show to investigate, and actually sat in to communicate the results to both the triplets and the audience..
"You are all 99 percent European," Lisa begins. "That's not a big surprise, but now we're going to get a little more specific."
The Test Shows Different Ancestry
When comparing just how much British and Irish ancestry these ladies have, Lisa reveals Erica had just 16 percent while Jaclyn had 18.9 percent. This came as an absolute shock to the triplets because they have the exact same DNA! "I'm surprised," Nicole began.
"I’m surprised because we came from the same egg and DNA. How are our ancestries different?" They were in shock at first, but it that was just the tip of the iceberg..
A Massive Difference
Lisa then tells them about their French and German percentages, which is when we see the biggest gap yet! Nicole sits at 11 percent French and German while Erica is up near 22.3 percent! That's more than a ten percent difference. How could this be? "I think the answer here is that we've come so far in terms of genetic testing, but you can't just spit in a cup and have every single answer that you are looking for," co-host Dr.
Stork said. How would it work if another pair of triplets got tested? Or even quadruplets? Inside Edition got both. Here are those results.
Meet The Maynard Triplets
The Maynard Triplets appeared on American Idol in the 2000's, and sat down with Inside Edition to investigate further.
Their tests also showed some key differences.
Yet Another Major Difference In Test Results
When testing for British Isles heritage, the Maynard triplets showed an incredible range of numbers from 59 percent to 70 percent. We'd be okay with just a little variation in the 1-2 percent range, but 11 percent again?
Is there any way the next pair of quadruplets could save the day for at-home ancestry tests?
Meet The Pyfrom Quads
The Pyfrom quadruplets are a mix of European and African descent.
Their test results actually come out a little closer than the others.
A Perfect Match
By closer, we mean perfect. When testing for West African descent, the quadruplets nailed 46 percent across the board, bringing a little credibility back to at-home ancestry tests.
But what do the actual Doctors have to say about the reliability of these tests?