The Importance of Paternity Testing
In today's litigious world, the paternity test to determine the identity of a baby's father has become a very important legal tool. Paternity tests, all-important in many situations for unmarried parents, can be the basis of determining a father's right to custody or, alternatively, his responsibilities for child support. For the child, establishing paternity allows for future claims of inheritance or family medical history inquiries. Paternity testing can be done either during pregnancy or after. Physicians, however, generally recommend testing for paternity after the child's birth, since prenatal tests (which involve the insertion of needles) pose a risk of miscarriage or other injury. In addition to providing "court-approved" paternity tests which can range in cost from $400 to $2,000, many testing centers also offer a less expensive test simply to satisfy parental curiosity. That kind od test will not stand up to court challenges. Six types of paternity tests are routinely performed, with two of them falling into the prenatal category and four postnatal. All six of the tests have in common the use of DNA testing technology, which in recent decades has revolutionized paternity testing and forensic science with its near-perfect rate of accuracy.
Prenatal Paternity Tests
According to the American Pregnancy Association, paternity tests performed during pregnancy require a physician's consent due to the many physical risks to both baby and mother. The first type of prenatal test, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), can be performed during weeks 10 to 13 of the pregnancy. CVS tests use a tiny hypodermic needle inserted through the cervix by the physician (guided by ultrasound) to obtain bits of uterine tissue called chorionic villi. These tissues, remnants of the fertilized egg, can be accurately tested for DNA against that of the possible father in question. The second type of prenatal test, amniocentesis, done during the second trimester of pregnancy (weeks 14 through 20), employs ultrasound to push a tiny needle into the uterus, where it draws some amniotic fluid for DNA testing.
Postnatal Tests
Paternity tests after the birth of the child can be done in four different ways. One test involves collection of samples such as hair, semen or body tissue for DNA comparison. A second method is to draw blood for testing. Another approach, one which has the virtue of being entirely external and non-invasive, is to DNA-test the tissues of the umbilical cord. Finally, the child's DNA can be collected and tested by using a swab on the inside of the child's mouth. This last option is called the buccal swab test.
