My Heritage & whole genome testing.

[Biggles50]

When this was first announced I was intrigued by the feature so thought that I would document the whole process and share it with you Chatters.

The kit was ordered on the 2nd Feb and it arrived on the 9th Feb and it was posted yesterday (11/2/26), so let us see what the whole genome test gives once the sample is processed and matches identified.

When I ordered the DNA Kit My Heritage activated the 30 day “free” period which I did not really want as would rather have it available to start once the DNA sample has been processed and results have been analysed.

They offered a full year subscription for £59 which I accepted so I then thought that I would take a look at how the site has changed since my last time using it.

I have therefore built a very small, very basic tree.

Have to say that the My Heritage system has the potential for huge errors in trees.

It is very easy to accept one of their “smart matches” only to have the tree populated by a mass of data.

The tree now has 63 people which is all I intend to populate it with for now at least.

As a matter of interest I clicked on a couple of the “smart match” suggestions and it populated the tree with the data.

Then using the “Consistency Checker” it showed 28 issues.

So I spent 2 hours going through each one removing all the duplicate records that it added.

Be warned of this issue if you are considering using MH.

As it is I only intend to use it periodically for the year of the subscription and will end auto renewal once I have worked through the DNA Matches.

Prior experiences with MH were mixed, I did have some useful DNA matches but was less impressed by the Admixture results.  We dumped and expunged all our data on MH when they “lost” my Wife’s DNA, one day it was there, the next gone, no records, no matches, just her basic tree.  At the time MH said that we had to have deleted her DNA, I know that this was not the case.

[GailB]

I've considered ordering a kit from MH now they are doing whole genome testing, but will wait to see what you have to say about it once you get your results.

[4b2]

Have they specifically announced these new tests will be full genome?

For going through matches on MyH, I have tests for my father and his sister; and two of my maternal aunts. I don't pay any attention to a match unless they include both of either of them. Even for 50cM-100cM matches, about 50% are false positives. Only paying attention to matches that match two of the relatives avoids going off on wild goose chases.

[Biggles50]

Yes, I queried the “whole genome testing” and yes it applies.

I activated the test before posting it and have just received an eMail from My Heritage offering a £50 upgrade on my test for the Health reports.

I am 75 years old and only have to take one tablet a day, I am riddled with osteoarthritis and have a heart issue, which is best quoted what my my Cardiologist said “the only way your heart is going to be stopped is by hitting it with a sledge hammer”.

At my ripe old age I’ll forego learning that I have a chance of diabetes, have a slim chance of Parkinsons, a chance of breast cancer, the only aspect that is likely to be correct is the high chance of loosing my hair.

[Biggles50]

17th February.

Sample received at the Processing Lab in the USA, 6 days after posting the kit in the UK.

[Biggles50]

19th February

DNA extraction in progress.

[Biggles50]

22nd February

Whole Genome Sequencing, in progress

[Zaphod99]

After enthusiastically waiting for mine for six or 8 weeks or so it was a bit of an anti-climax, because it gave me the same matches, in a slightly different order apart from one that disappeared and one new one was added. Maybe when the CRAM file becomes available this might change.

ZAPH

[Biggles50]

It is OK Zaph, I have set Low Expectations for the results.