Paternity testing can be a sensitive subject for parents, but it can be necessary for any number of reasons. Some parents choose to have paternity testing done for peace of mind, some out of curiosity and some for legal reasons. If a couple isn't married and the father denies paternity, most states require that a paternity test be done before child support is determined and enforced. Though this process can be difficult emotionally, modern technology makes the process fairly simple.
Step 1
Ask your obstetrician to perform an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling while you are pregnant. Both of these tests involve examining fetal DNA. However, because these invasive procedures carry some risk to the fetus, many obstetricians will not perform them solely for the purpose of determining paternity.
Step 2
Contact a private DNA testing facility after your baby is born and use its services to determine paternity. While these types of services tend to be expensive, costing as much as $2,000, the benefit is privacy and confidentiality.
Step 3
Contact your state's child support enforcement services and sue the alleged father for child support, if necessary. The state will usually pay for and perform a paternity test first. This is only an option if the parents are unmarried and the alleged father denies paternity at birth.
Tips and Warnings
- Postnatal paternity tests are noninvasive. The two most common ways of comparing DNA are through a blood test or a cheek swab. Both the alleged father and the child will have to provide a DNA sample in order for testing to take place. If you choose to have a paternity test done through a private DNA testing facility, do some research on the facility's accreditations first. According to the American Pregnancy Association, any facility that performs paternity tests should be accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks.
