At Home Paternity Tests - Do they Work?

If you don’t know for sure who the father of your child is, but you don’t want to go to a clinic to find out, you can get an at-home paternity test. There are a few things you should know about these tests.

The price of an at home paternity test can be as low as $30, while you might expect to spend nearly $1,000 if you visit the laboratory to have the test done. However, while price is a large issue, so is accuracy.

With an at home paternity test, you’ll take the samples yourself. Usually, this consists of swabbing the inside of the child’s cheek, the potential father’s cheek and the mother’s cheek with separate swabs. The samples are then placed into a sterile container and sent back to the lab. The same tests are done on the samples with these at home tests as the clinics and labs that cost more.

One thing you should know about at-home paternity tests are they’re not usually legal in a court of law. While many labs are creating tests that are designed to stand up in a court of law, most of the time the court orders a DNA test from an actual laboratory or clinic. However, if you just want to do the test for curiosity’s sake and not for child support or custody issues, the at-home tests will work just fine. You’ll also end up spending hundreds of dollars less for the at-home type of test.

How Paternity Leave Works

Most fathers aren’t aware that they’re allowed to take paternity leave from work when their child is being born. This means that they can take a period of time off to enjoy the new baby and to help the baby’s mother get accustomed to having a new child in the house.

While the US doesn’t provide paid paternity leave, employers are required to offer this leave to their employees under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA.) In addition to offering a certain period of time (usually a few weeks) off, employers are required to provide the father with his same position, benefits, and pay when he returns.

Some countries do offer paid leave, but these are mostly Asian countries. The time allowed for the father to be off work depends and varies from country to country. For instance, many Asian countries allow several weeks off while countries like Cambodia only offer one to two days. It’s important to spend some time looking up the law in your country so that you can be prepared when the time comes. Also, give your employer notice that you’ll be taking paternity leave around the time that your baby is born, and let the employer know the due date. It’s important to take some time to spend with your baby and your significant other when the time comes, and paternity leave allows you to do that.

What are Forensic DNA Tests?

What is Forensic DNA Testing?

Forensics comes form an old Latin word, ‘forensis’ or forum. Today, it has taken slant as far as medical issues like DNA is concerned. Forensics refers to the use of DNA in proving a case in court.

If you have watched the CSI series on TV, then you are adequately informed that it is possible to use a person’s DNA to prove innocence or guilt. Every person’s DNA is unique and cannot be replicated. It is similar to a fingerprint except today, fingerprints can be erased or changed, artificially or through tampering with your finger profile.

A DNA is a miniscule piece of tissue about 1/ millionth inch and can be found in a person’s body and cell tissue. You can think of DNA as a building block upon which are bodies are built. The chances of finding a person with the exact DNA as yourself would 1  for every 300 million.

When the concept of using DNA to identify a person without doubt, it became the main focal point in solving a lot of court cases and crime. Forensic DNA however has its limitations.

DNA testing is not as easy as 1-2-3. Not all countries have the facilities to test DNA, and even if they do, the time frame for getting the results of a DNA test is not immediate. Generally, it takes more than a couple of weeks before the results are known. Thus, the scenes you see in TV where the DNA test results come in minutes is not accurate.

The process of DNA testing means that you have to have two samples to compare with. In forensic DNA, the two sample would be that evidence from a crime scene and the other from the suspect. Evidence could be hair, saliva, blood, skin tissue, semen, vaginal fluid, or nail clippings. If the two samples match, then you have proof that the suspect was in the scene of the crime.

Forensic DNA test can also be used to prove who the parents of a child are, or who two people are siblings or related through blood samples. The beauty of forensic DNA test is as long as the sample from the crime scene is preserved, a criminal can be caught many years after the fact.

Today, many people who have been sentenced wrongly are able to pursue their case through DNA testing. In fact, hundreds of people wrongly accused and judged are finally finding ways to clearing their names and being freed from prison.

Types of DNA Paternity Testing for Genealogy

If you’re considering having your child tested to see if you’re the father, or to establish who the father is, you’re probably wondering how the tests are done. Even if the child isn’t born yet, there are ways to determine who the father is by using DNA paternity testing for genealogy.

Before birth, doctors can do a procedure called amniocentesis to determine the father of the baby. This test requires a small sample of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac. There are risks with this method, but hundreds of these procedures are done on a daily basis with no problem. Another method before birth involves taking a sample of the fetal genetic material and using that to determine who the father is.  With this method, physicians will go through the cervix and extract a small amount of cells from the bottom of the amniotic sac. This is typically done at about five weeks into the pregnancy while amniotic fluid testing is done later in the pregnancy.

After birth, a DNA paternity testing for genealogy sample can be taken from the inside of a child’s cheek, his or her urine, or his or her blood. This is then compared with DNA from both parents to determine who the biological father is. There are numerous benefits to having a paternity test done – from medical reasons to custody and child support issues. In addition to all of this, when a child becomes an adult, he or she will want to know who their biological father is, and will appreciate it if you’re able to tell them. 

Advice for Choosing a Great DNA Paternity Testing Laboratory

Hundreds of thousands of paternity tests are done in the US each year. The most reliable source of paternity testing is DNA, and in order to have your child’s DNA tested against that of the potential father, you’ll need to visit a laboratory. Below are some great tips on how to choose a laboratory.

Visit the website of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). This association provides accreditation for certain laboratories that pass their rigorous testing. You should know that less than half the labs tested receive the accreditation; testament to the kind of procedures this association goes through to test. The website can refer you to a lab in your area that has been given the accreditation.

Research any laboratory you’re considering, and spend a good amount of time reading up on the history of the lab, any legal complications the lab might have gone through, and any other relevant information. You might then consider calling a customer service representative from the labs you’re considering. It’s important to use your gut feeling to determine which lab would suit you best, and speaking to a representative will allow you to get a first impression.

If you know anyone who has used a lab for DNA testing in the past, you can ask them for recommendations. This is a good way to get inside information on how the lab works and conducts business. Using these tips, you can find a laboratory to help you determine the paternity of your child.

Dads: Taking Paternity Leave When Baby is Due

Mothers often take maternity leave just before they’re expected to give birth. Maternity leave gives mothers the chance to recover from birth, and enjoy their brand new babies before they have to return to work. Most people aren’t aware that employers are required by law to give expectant fathers paternity leave.

Paternity leave is outlined in the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA.) While employers aren’t required to pay expectant fathers any money during their leave, they are required to allow the father to return to his original position. The father must also retain his original rate of pay, bonuses, benefits, and anything else that went with his job before he took paternity leave.

Paternity leave is a wonderful chance for fathers to help their wives or girlfriends with the brand new baby, and to form a special bond with their child. From waking up in the middle of the night for a feeding to helping Mom get the house in order, paternity leave gives fathers the perfect opportunity to really be there for their families. It’s important that you speak to your employer and let him or her know the expected due date. Also, let them know if you plan on taking paternity leave.

By keeping your employer informed, you can let them know that you are aware that they must offer paternity leave, and that you fully intend on taking that paternity leave. If you’re refused, you may have the right to seek compensation from your employer.

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.