Paternity Testing Information
Performing a paternity test is the best way to find out for sure if a man is the true biological father of a child. The most frequent reasons paternity becomes an issue are divorce, child custody and child support court cases. However, it can also arise if a man questions the woman’s fidelity.
Paternity testing compares the child’s DNA pattern with that of the potential father, which is the most definitive proof known to exist. Three test options are available in paternity testing, these are: prenatal testing, viability test, and in-home testing.
Prenatal paternity testing is done when the pregnant mother is still on her 10th through the 13th week or 14th to 24th week of pregnancy, depending on the procedure to be used. This test may be conducted either through amniocentesis or chronic villi sampling (CVS).
Viability test uses remarkable samples to check for the DNA. This is commonly used when the alleged father is not present or cannot be found. In this process, preserved samples like hair, body tissues, and blood are being used.
Paternity testing can now be conducted from the privacy of your own home. In this test, the DNA is collected using the buccal swab, which resembles to the common cotton-tipped swab but has a special component known as the “Dacron.” The swab is then rubbed against the interior of the individual’s cheek, several loose cheek cells stick to the swab. The DNA collected will be brought to the laboratory for some series of tests. It is very important that the DNA samples must be in sealed and tamper-evident packing.
Paternity testing can be used for either personal or legal purposes. Personal paternity tests can be done in cases wherein legal involvement is not required. DNA paternity testing used in legal situations establishes legal proof-of-paternity/non-paternity for a variety of legal applications, including child support and custody cases.
There can only be two outcomes in DNA paternity testing. The first is a “no-match scenario”, known as exclusion where the possibility of the individual being the biological father of the child is eliminated. The second is a “match” scenario, wherein there is a degree of certainty associated with the likelihood that the alleged male is the biological father of the child.
Many lives have been forever changed with paternity testing. So, it is very important that you fully anticipate all potential outcomes before the paternity testing is conducted. The Internet is a great place to purchase a home DNA paternity testing kit.