PATERNITY TESTING – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Paternity testing is now the accepted standard for confirming whether an alleged father is the actual biological father of a child. Through developments in the understanding of our genetic make-up it is now possible to identify through our DNA if there is a biological relationship between a parent and their child with accuracy.
Are there different types of paternity tests ?
Yes. Whilst the technology for performing the test is always the same, the types of tests vary depending on their use. For example, for curiosity purposes you would normally order a home DNA paternity test. A legal paternity test will be requested where the result needs to stand up in court. An immigration paternity test may be requested by authorities in addition to an immigration request. Finally, there exists also the possibility of doing a paternity test before the baby is born – also known as a prenatal DNA paternity test.
How is a paternity test performed ?
In brief, a paternity test requires that a biological sample be obtained from all the parties to be tested i.e. the mother, father and child. This is normally done through the use of an oral swab that is gently rubbed inside the mouth to collect cells. The swabs are then submitted to the laboratory for testing. The methodology for collecting the samples can vary and can include other type of samples such as hair, blood, semen etc . In addition, the way the samples are collected can vary depending whether you order a home paternity test or legal paternity test.
Why perform a paternity test ?
There are many reasons why people decide to perform a paternity test. Apart from issues of curiosity and the need to know, there can be other legal or medical issues that require knowledge of who is the real biological father (or the child depending on the case). For example in cases of inheritance, adoption, immigration or missing person identification, the paternity test and other DNA tests can be very powerful tools that can assist to conclude the cases. Read about when a paternity test can be useful.
What is a paternity test ?
Every human being is born with a unique genetic makeup. The genes are derived half from the biological mother and the other half from the father. Therefore through a paternity test it is possible to match the DNA from the mother and father and confirm if they are reflected in that person’s DNA. If there is no exact match, therefore we can conclude there is no paternity. And if there is a match, and since there can be no other individual that may have contributed to that particular genetic makeup, then we can conclude with certainty there exists a biological relationship. Read more on how accurate is a DNA paternity test.
How long does it take to receive the actual results of the paternity test ?
The delivery of the results may vary from a few days to a few weeks depending on who is handling your analysis. In general, results are issued around five working days from the receipt of the samples at the laboratory. However faster turnaround times are usually possible for an additional charge. Other factors can influence how fast you will receive your DNA paternity test result. If you are planning to order a paternity test, we recommend that you read through our website and familiarize yourself with all the different aspects of the tests.
