Determining your child's paternity can be done a number of ways, and can be accomplished before birth, after birth, and even from home. It's a good idea to know who the baby's father is for legal, emotional and medical reasons. Paternity testing can be expensive, typically costing between $400 and $2,000, according to American Pregnancy. Of the options for determining paternity, some results are admissible in court, while others are just to give parents peace of mind, so consider your needs carefully when deciding what kind of testing to have completed on your child.
Step 1
Talk to the the possible fathers, if you can. If there are two candidates, you will need to get a sample from at least one of them to compare the child's DNA against. If the father could be three or more people, they will all need to be tested to determine paternity. If you can't get them to voluntarily agree to be tested for paternity, you might need to consult with a lawyer to determine if a court order compelling testing can be obtained.
Step 2
Consult with your doctor about whether paternity testing during pregnancy is a good idea for you. There are a couple of ways to determine paternity while still pregnant. One method is through Chorionic Villus Sampling, or CVS. In this procedure, your doctor will slide a thin tube through your vagina and cervix, and will collect a small sample of tissue from the uterine wall to test for paternity. The other way to test for paternity during pregnancy is through amniocentesis. With this test, a needle is inserted through your stomach into your uterus to collect a small amount of amniotic fluid. This fluid can then be tested to determine paternity, among other things. Both of these tests carry a small risk of miscarriage or problems for the fetus.
Step 3
Test for paternity after your baby is born by having your doctor order a paternity test, or by using a home DNA testing kit, available in some drugstores. Paternity can be determined in a lab by testing a swab of saliva, blood or hair. Home tests work by using a special swab inside the baby's mouth and one from the potential father's mouth, which are then mailed to a lab for testing, explains Paternity Test Help.
