DNA test kits are something we only associate with criminal investigations and high-tech labs.
They are now more accessible than ever, with a range of companies offering services to help people learn more about their heritage, reconnect family members, and even look into hereditary health issues.
One woman who was gifted a DNA test for her birthday says she was keen to find out if it would highlight any relevant information about her health, but claims it ended up uncovering an uncomfortable truth.
TikTok user @Mattilathehun posted a video to explain her boyfriend had bought her a test for her birthday, and also grabbed one for himself as they were on offer.
She explained that her mum was adopted and she never really knew her biological father, and when they got the results from the test a month later she looked down the list of relatives to see if there was anyone she didn’t know about.
“I was scrolling down,” she said, “and I turned to my boyfriend at the time and I say ‘Hey, this is pretty nifty, this person has the same name as you’. And that’s how I found out I was dating my cousin.”
The clip has been watched almost 600,000 times and, after viewers demanded a longer explanation, she added: “So the site said we are most likely third cousins, meaning we share a set of great, great grandparents.
“However, I was able to do a bit of research into my biological father’s side of the family and I actually found someone who had done a genealogical report like back to the 1500s.
“Based on the stuff in that person’s research, as well as the percentage of the DNA my ex and I shared which was a little bit too high to be third cousins, I’m pretty sure we’re actually second cousins, related through my paternal great grandmother.
“My ex is a great guy and I care about him deeply but… yeah.”
The story left people stunned as it gained hundreds of comments, with one replying to say: “OMG I would die on the spot.”
A second said: “This is literally my nightmare right now.”
And another added: “The second you said ex I knew ya’ll were gonna be related.”