Types of Paternity Tests

Establishing paternity is extremely important. Not only will knowing your child’s father 100% help you establish child support and other benefits for your child, but it will help you hold your child’s father responsible for other situations as well. Below are the types of paternity tests.

DNA Testing

DNA is the most popular form of paternity tests. These tests can be done before the child is born or after. Before the child is born, there are a few different tests. A sampling of the fetal genetic material can be taken through the cervix at around five weeks of pregnancy and used to determine who the child’s father is. Later in the pregnancy, a physician can take a sample of amniotic fluid to determine who the father is. These tests are invasive and pose risks, so it’s better to wait until after the child is born.

After the child is born, a sample can be collected by swabbing the child’s cheek with a buccal swab. The DNA present will be compared to the DNA of the father and the mother. This test can tell who the father is with more than 99% accuracy.

Blood Tests

Blood tests can also generally tell who the child’s biological father is, although it’s not thought to be as conclusive as DNA testing. The type of blood and the antigens determine whether the child belongs to a particular man or not. There are many benefits to establishing paternity and with at-home paternity tests, it is much less expensive than it was in the past.

Non Invasive Paternity Testing

Looking for non invasive paternity testing? Aside from an amniocentesis and chorionic villus test, there is another test that is can be used to establish the paternity of a child. This is the umbilical cord test. It’s known as cordocentesis. This can be done at 18 weeks of pregnancy.

The physician will use a camera to determine where the fetus’s umbilical cord enters the amniotic sac. Using a needle, the physician will find the correct spot and then extract a very small amount of the fetal cord blood. This blood is then tested and compared to the potential father’s DNA.

This non invasive paternity test does come with some risks, as do any other invasive tests. However, you should know that it’s a test that is done very regularly with minimal problems. It’s important to speak with your doctor to determine the risks and to determine whether you’re healthy enough to undergo this kind of testing. You can also discuss other options and together, determine which is the best test for you and your unique situation.

Some of the risks of having the baby’s cord blood tested for paternity include premature membrane rupture, bleeding, infection, and a lower fetal heart rate. Whether you decide to go ahead with this procedure or wait until the baby is born to establish paternity, it is important to find out for sure who the baby’s biological father is.

Not only will this provide you with important information regarding the baby’s medical history, but it will help you with legal issues like child support and custody. 

Establishing DNA Paternity Test Results

You might have a dozen different arguments against establishing paternity. For instance, you might not need or want the child support that you could legally force your child’s biological father to pay. He may not want custody, so there may not be a need to establish paternity for that reason. However, you should consider establishing paternity for your child’s benefit. After all, there is nothing like establishing DNA paternity test results and knowing hands down the real deal about your child's paternity. Here's some tips:

At the Doctor

Your child’s doctor will want to know your child’s full medical history – that includes the history from your side of the family and the paternal side of the family. This information can become invaluable if anything should happen and your child would need a major medical procedure. This is one of the reasons for establishing paternity that can truly benefit your child.

In the Future

We all want to know where we came from and who our parents are. Even if you have a partner that your child thinks of as his or her father it’s important for your child to know who their actual biological father is. As the child ages, he or she will begin to ask questions and it’s important that you’re able to answer those questions for him or her. Even if the biological father isn’t in the child’s life as the child grows, he may want to be there down the road. That’s when it will be up to your child to decide, and knowing the truth will help him or her make that decision more easily.

Overview of the Prenatal Paternity Test

People who have questions or concerns about paternity and want to determine whether or not a certain man is the father of an unborn child may wish to have a prenatal paternity test conducted. Much like paternity tests that are done postnatal, or after the baby is born, the DNA from the mother, the fetus, and the alleged father are compared with one another to see if paternity is a possibility.

DNA and Establishing Paternity

The structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, was discovered in 1953 and since that time, modern science has developed a number of intricate techniques that have allowed us to identify its complex make-up, and also to ascertain whether or not one person is related to another.

DNA is a molecule present within every cell of every living creature and under a powerful microscope, resembles a twisted ladder, which is why DNA is often referred to as the "double helix." This "ladder" is comprised of four base molecules, adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine that connect the "rungs," which are actually hydrogen bonds. The manner in which all of these molecules are arranges or structured is what is known as a DNA sequence, which are responsible for physical traits and characteristics as well as many other aspects related to heredity.

As cells divide and replicate, markers from both parent's DNA are equally present for a total of 46 chromosomes per cell. Through paternity testing, DNA is extracted through a process involving several distinct steps and then compared with other samples to determine if a match is present.

The Two Types of Prenatal Paternity Tests

Two different methods are used to collect DNA samples from an unborn child, both are considered to be invasive procedures and therefore present a certain amount of risk that should be discussed at length with the mother's obstetrician gynecologist (OB-GYN).

• Chorionic Villi Sampling: Chorionic villi sampling, or CVS, is currently the earliest type of prenatal paternity testing that can be done on a fetus. CVS is done during the 10th through 13th weeks of pregnancy and collects cells from the placenta, which is the life-giving membrane that surrounds the tiny fetus. A doctor, usually the mother's obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), uses an ultrasound machine to guide either a hollow needle into the abdomen, or alternately, inserts a catheter into the vagina to collect the cells needed for testing.

• Amniocentesis: Done during the 14th through 24th weeks of pregnancy, amniocentesis prenatal paternity testing collects loose cells from the fetus present within the amniotic fluid. Done by an OB-GYN, a long thin needle that is also guided by an ultrasound is inserted into the abdomen and into the amniotic sac to extract the fluid. The cells are retrieved and then processed in the same manner as other cells to ascertain DNA markers that would establish or rule out paternity.

Medical Risks Associated with Prenatal Paternity Testing

Because the two methods of prenatal paternity testing are invasive procedures, there is a certain amount of medical risk associated with both. With amniocentesis, there's the potential for injury to both mother or fetus from the needle, as well as the risk of puncturing the placenta, which in most cases, heals on its on without any harm to the baby.

Because a foreign object is being introduced into the amniotic sac, there's always the potential for infection, although this is a rare occurrence. Also, birth defects such as clubfoot is a concern with amniocentesis, particularly if the procedure is done prior to the 15th week of pregnancy. Always discuss any concerns or questions with your own doctor about prenatal paternity testing.

Home DNA Test Kit

Although Home DNA test kits are frowned upon by FDA, the interest among consumers is reaching fever pitch. This is because DNA testing is much more expensive if you go to a company who offers this service. At the same time, the wait for the results to come through mail is excruciating.

Consumers want to have the option of home DNA test kits because there are some questions that can be answered based on the results of the test. For instance, you can find out if you are a potential cancer patient based on your DNA. Most popular reason though would be paternity tests to prove child support or other similar claims.

Do they work? This would depend on several things:

• Collection of sample
• Handling of sample
• Sample
• Preservation of sample or time frame between collection and testing
• Quality of the DNA home kit

In medicine, there are often grey areas, and this means interpretation is also a major factor. You can misdiagnose a test result, and then stress unnecessarily because of it. Most doctors prefer not to recommend DNA home test kits, especially unsupervised ones, because of the potential pitfalls.  One of these pitfalls in codominance which is a term used to describe a condition with several factors or causes.  This means a gene that indicates a chance of getting cancer does not mean much unless it is compared in connection to other genes. As such, misinterpretation is often committed.

If ever you do decide to take one, be sure to read the instructions carefully, and not use it as a toy. Also, the test results are not acceptable in any court of law as evidence. This is merely for personal use only.

You should also choose which DNA home test kit to buy. The cheapest would be around $300, but it may not always be the best choice.  If you need a DNA test for legal reasons, then you need to go through the proper channels. If you just want to go into the “what if?” kind of scenario, then go ahead and take the DNA test. Just be sure that you get someone qualified to help you interpret the test results.

How to Choose a Paternity Lawyer

If you were with someone who is now pregnant and claims you’re the father but you’re unsure, it’s understandable that you’d want to establish paternity without a doubt. This is especially true considering you could be subject to pay child support if you sign the child’s birth certificate, even if he or she is not your biological child. While establishing paternity does not mean you get instant custody rights, it will go a long way toward working out a legal agreement between you and the child’s mother.

Choosing a Paternity Lawyer

It’s extremely important to consider hiring a paternity lawyer.  This will help ensure that you know your rights and that you’re protected.  There are a few different things you should look for. Your paternity lawyer should be able to handle a wide range of things for you, from establishing paternity to taking care of custody and child support issues.

There are a few different ways to find a good paternity lawyer. One of the most important ways is to ask for recommendations from friends and family members. This is a great way to get inside information on the attorney and the benefits of hiring that particular one. You can also get in touch with your local Bar Association to get a great referral of an attorney who can handle all of these issues for you.

Before going into any situation concerning paternity or child support, consult with a qualified attorney to ensure that you’re protected.

Understanding DNA Paternity Test Results

The results of every medical test today can have a wide range of inferences. Similarly, in a paternity test, the result  will contain the complete DNA profile of the father.  The report will also show a combined parental Index and relationship probability of each person with the child  i.e. the paternity, maternity and grand parentage. The strength of the result is also indicated  in the result. 

The result will be in the form of “inclusion” or “exclusion” giving a conclusive result. Whether the person, who is the alleged father, is excluded or not excluded from the paternity is the final result of this test.  A combined paternity index (CPI) is arrived by analyzing 15 genetic loci, each compared separately.  Each genetic locus is tested and arrived at this CPI.  The CPI analysis helps in getting the probability of paternity and this probability is arrived by comparing the genital population and common genetic information found in the analysis. The CPI result could be up to 99.99% accurate, and this CPI and probability both will be mentioned in the result. 

An Inclusion means that the genetic markers match to a probability of 99% or more which means the person who is an alleged father is not excluded from being a biological father. Similarly an exclusion report gives probability of 0.00% (genetic markers do not match) of the person being excluded from being the biological father of the tested child.