If you or your partner is looking at doing a paternity test then there might well be some questions that you are asking but are afraid to ask, how does a paternity test work? What is the procedure for paternity testing? How accurate is it? In this article we will answer some of these questions for you to help give you a better understanding of the paternity testing process.
Paternity testing is a relatively recent development which uses comparison of DNA specimens to verify who the biological father of a child is. In order to do this DNA specimens will need to be collected from the father, mother and child. These specimens can be collected in a number of ways but the easiest procedure is to take a swab from the mouth. This is also painless and so there is no need to worry about a painful procedure.
Paternity tests can be greater than 99% accurate depending on how many points on the DNA are compared the greater the number of comparisons the more accurate the test will be.
In order to arrange a paternity test you should call one of the laboratories that provide these services. You can also order home tests to do paternity testing in the comfort of your own home. Once you have collected the specimens as they suggest you will send them back to the laboratory for testing. This testing needn’t take a long time and the results can be back to you as soon as a few days to a week. It is best, however, to check with the laboratory you are working through how long it will take them to do the testing as different places do vary.
If you are living in the United States you can generally order a paternity test yourself, except in New York where it will need to be ordered by the court or by a physician. If you are concerned about the legalities of paternity testing in your area then try to get hold of one of the laboratories in your area and ask them what the procedure is with regards to this.
The cost of paternity testing will obviously vary depending on where you choose to have it done but it needn’t be expensive and in many instances the benefits of having it done outweigh the costs considerably. It is best to look around at your different options, search the internet for places that do DNA paternity testing and how much they charge as well as any places you may have in your area and compare them to see which your best option is.
In conclusion then, DNA paternity testing is a relatively new but inexpensive procedure to test who the biological father of a child is. In most States you can order these tests yourself from a laboratory or order home test kits. You will simply need to take a sample of your DNA, the easiest being a cheek swab, and the DNA of the mother and child and send these to a laboratory who will compare various points in the DNA to determine, with up to and greater than 99% accuracy who the father is. Testing also should not take long and you can get results within a week or shorter if necessary.