A child’s DNA comes from the egg and sperm of a woman and man, respectively. Each parent contributes an equal amount of chromosomes to make up the child’s own. This composition allows a child to trace his or her parents when the situation arises. It also shows the connections between people considered blood-related.

What is A Paternity Test and Why Does it Matter?

The DNA blood test confirms the biological relationship between a child/children and a parent is called paternity testing. The paternity test is a common practice for confirming family genetics. The father is who the child/children is/are usually compared to because the mother carries the pregnancy; hence, the biological relationship is already established.

Cases like IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and surrogacy may require both maternity and paternity tests to confirm family genetics, learn more about paternity tests.

The confirmation is positive when the chances recorded from the testing are about 99.9%. Though there are circumstances, it can be lower due to testing equipment and services.

However, most legal tests are carried out with modern and standard equipment types that confirm positive tests with 99% chances. If the result is negative, the chances are meager, like below 60%.

Such a test only determines proof of a relationship between father and child/children and not other biological connections like the mother, aunt, uncle, sibling, cousins, grandparent, etc. It cannot be used to provide information about ancestry, the age, or the race of an individual.

The paternity testing for an unborn child is known as prenatal paternity testing, which is conducted as early as within the first pregnancy trimester. It can be non-invasive where both parents’ blood samples are required, and it is also known as the safest method. It can also be invasive through Amniocentesis and Chorionic villus sampling (CVS).

When Should I Consider Paternity Testing?

A paternity test may be considered for any of the following circumstances:

• Legal instructions a will
• Visa and immigration application
• Child support
• Social security
• Adoption
• Establishing paternity in surrogacy and IVF pregnancies

Paternity Testing Cost:

There are various costs of paternity testing depending on the type of testing required. Legal tests usually cost a lot as they must be carried out in a standard hospital with standard pieces of equipment. Other tests that are not carried out due to legal requirements may be done with paternity test kits, home services tests, or online tests.

Hospital paternity tests cost as much as $500, while home service tests can cost up to $200. Paternity test kits cost as much as $15, and take-home lab services can cost up to $150. However, these costs vary depending on the different testing centers and brands.

Paternity Testing Cost and Instructions:

Paternity testing costs and instructions are given for the smooth flow of the testing process. It may vary for different testing centers, laboratories, and hospitals. However, there are basic instructions that must be adhered to when going for paternity testing, and they are:

• Ensure signed consent of all the parties involved.
• Bring required documents along; for parents, any valid identification, while for child/children, birth certificate, and passports.

Without adhering to these instructions, you cannot get the paternity test done. There are various situations when you must opt for a paternity test and understanding simple aspects of the process makes your life easier.

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