
Welcome to DNA Surprises, a podcast that delves into the world of unexpected DNA discoveries. I'm your host, Alexis Hourselt. In July 2021, my life took a surprising turn when I found out l'm an NPE-a person who's experienced a non-paternal event. In other words, my biological father isn't who I thought he was. Join me as we explore the stories of NPEs, adoptees, and donor-conceived people and the... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 160 | Founded | 4 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Personal JournalsSociety & Culture | |||

DNA surprises often lead to answers - the truth about parentage, insights into family dynamics, clarity about the past. Still, as I often say, they also leave us with questions. Questions that may never be answered. But what if something as simple as... more
What happens after you take a DNA test? After you make contact with newfound family? After you write that letter, or email, or hit send on a text? You wait. And wait, and wait.
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Devon, who spent almost the entir... more
You can’t unring a bell. After a DNA surprise is uncovered, after contact is made with newfound relatives, what’s done is done. Which is why some people are hesitant to dig into the truth. You never know what’s waiting for you on the other side. In t... more
"It’s a scam!" That’s what some family members say after a DNA surprise is uncovered. "Those tests aren’t accurate." Or, if a long-lost relative reaches out, they’re surely after money. If you’ve listened to this podcast for any length of time, you k... more
People also subscribe to these shows.





I like the podcast a lot. Alexis does a great job asking questions that prompts further detail from the guests. The only improvement that’s needed is the audio on the host’s side.
I’m not a NPE but after getting my DNA results I’ve been a bystander to secrets like this. I broke the news to a cousin that she had a half sister and they got to meet. A lot of angst went into making that call. But ultimately I decided that I would want to know, so I had to at least give her the opportunity. The sisters met and had a wonderful time. I don’t know if they kept in touch but I don’t think they had any regrets. The cousin that I knew said that her daddy was human and imperfect and s... more
Hi, I love this podcast. In the newest episode, you suggest watching Elizabeth Parts 1 & 2. What were the dates for those? I can’t find them.
Thank you so much for creating this amazing resource for all of us experiencing NPE. It’s such a blindsiding event in our lives, with no rule book. Proving a platform for people to share, and for us to learn, is invaluable. Thank you!!
Thanks for this podcast Alexis. I find these stories fascinating but also heartbreaking for many of the NPE’s. So many secrets coming to light through new technology. It really questions what ‘family’ is. They have all been very powerful stories and it really shows how important knowing where you came from is. Opened my eyes to the ethical issue of donor conceived children too. My sister donated 12 years ago in the uk, so it will be interesting to see if a biological niece of mine may reach out ... more
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #64 | |
Apple Podcasts | #50 | |
Apple Podcasts | #81 | |
Apple Podcasts | #24 | |
Apple Podcasts | #9 | |
Apple Podcasts | #42 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
This podcast explores the often shocking and complex narratives of individuals who discover unexpected truths about their biological parentage through DNA testing. The content focuses heavily on personal stories, featuring guests who share their experiences as NPEs (Not Parent Expected), adoptees, and donor-conceived individuals. The discussions often delve into themes of identity, family secrets, and the emotional turmoil that accompanies such revelations, emphasizing the transformative nature of uncovering hidden family histories. Unique for its supportive and empathetic approach, the host facilitates candid conversations that not only validate the experiences of those navigating these difficult discoveries but also highlight the importan... more
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for DNA Surprises. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to DNA Surprises and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for DNA Surprises, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for DNA Surprises, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
To see how many followers or subscribers DNA Surprises has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
These podcasts share a similar audience with DNA Surprises:
1. NPE Stories
2. Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets
3. Missing Pieces - NPE Life
4. Family Secrets
5. Finding Family DNA
DNA Surprises launched 4 years ago and published 160 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for DNA Surprises from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of DNA Surprises. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
Recent guests on DNA Surprises include:
1. Lauren LoGiudice
2. Sarah Kelly
3. Josh Hourselt
4. Iliamari Vazquez Houston
5. Jenna Hedstrom
6. Lanita Ugstad
7. Venessa De La Cruz
8. Shannon P.
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.