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Red Hair Genetics Surprise

RedHeatherRedHeather Posts: 600 ✭✭
edited November -1 in Parenting and Life
I have dark auburn hair, and when I started TTC, I decided to choose a red-haired donor because I figured that is the only recessive trait I have, so the only thing I could somewhat guarantee. Well, I just got back my results from DNA analysis via 23andMe, and it turns out I only have 1 copy of the red hair gene! So far what little hair my daughter has seems to be strawberry blonde, but apparently there was a 50% chance she wouldn't have red hair despite using a red-haired donor.

Comments

  • Mommy2016Mommy2016 Posts: 1,037
    edited November -1
    I have red hair too, and I wanted a donor with dark hair because I never liked my red hair. However, lately I've been seeing all these adorable little red haired babies and thinking of changing my donor (I have to change anyway since my current is sold out.) There aren't many red-haired donors here.

    Interesting what your genetic info says. My family has one child with red hair in each generation. My mom has red hair, her aunt had it, her grandma, etc. I'm the only one in my generation with red hair and there are no kids with it. So, I guess it's up to me to produce one. :)
    Luca Gabriel was born 10/25/17 at 34 weeks, due to PROM. He's healthy and perfect! I'm in love!
    5/2015-BFN 6/2015-Chemical 8/2015-BFN 10/2015-BFN 12/2015-BFP (miscarriage)
    2/2016-BFN 4/2016-BFN 7/2016-BFN 10/2016-BFN 11/2016-BFN 12/2016-BFN 3/2017-BFP!!!
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  • 2texasmoms2texasmoms Posts: 299 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My grandfather was a redhead and always wanted one of his grandchildren to be redheaded. Only my youngest cousin, the last out of the 12 of us, got the red hair. My understanding of the genetics around red hair is that they are really quite complicated!
  • RedHeatherRedHeather Posts: 600 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Certainly more complicated than I thought! I assumed it was a simple recessive trait -- 2 copies=redhead; 1 copy=not. But the report from 23andMe did give me a 6% chance of having red hair, so it's not quite so clear-cut. I do have a genetic predisposition for relatively low melanin, unrelated to the red hair gene, so maybe that's why some of the red came out. Now I'm curious whether my daughter has two copies of the gene or not, especially if her hair ends up being more reddish rather than truly red.
  • RedHeatherRedHeather Posts: 600 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also, there are actually three different red hair genes, but the main one (which I have) is by far the most common.
  • melandfomelandfo Posts: 490
    edited November -1
    I have light brown hair and my donor has brown hair. All of his family members have brown hair. My Dad is a red head and my son came out with red hair! I was surprised!! He is 1 and it is still so red! Not even strawberry blonde lol
    Courtney and Melissa
    TTC # 1 w/PCOS & Hypothyroid
    17 cycles finally BFP
    tt1c499a.aspx
  • fischfisch Posts: 570 ✭✭
    edited April 2016
    My grandfather, who was 1/16 Native American, was the only fair, red head out of 4 boys with dark hair and skin. My mom has dark brown hair and brown eyes, and her sister got the red hair. Out of my four siblings, two have red hair, two brown hair (including me). My son, from a donor with brown hair and blue eyes, has very blonde hair, still at nearly 8.5 years. The donor's sister had blonde hair. When Jack was born we thought for sure he was going to red headed. His newborn pics still show hints of red.
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