According to the American Pregnancy Association, establishing the paternity of a child is important for several reasons. One advantage is that the child's doctor will be able to have a more complete medical history for the child, which may help with a diagnosis. Establishing paternity also provides access to legal and social benefits for the child, such as social security, veteran's benefits and inheritance. If the identity of the father is in question or is being disputed, a paternity test provides proof that may be needed for the mother of the child to obtain child support.
Acknowledgment of Paternity
After a child is born in a hospital, most states require that a couple who are not married to fill out an AOP, or Acknowledgment of Paternity form. The purpose of this form is to legally establish the identity of the father of the child. If the identity of the father is at all in question, a paternity test should be conducted right away. There is a limited amount of time for the AOP to be amended by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The AOP is considered legally binding, and the father who is listed on this form could become responsible for the child whether or not he is actually the biological father. If no AOP form is filled out, no father will be listed on the child's birth certificate.
Prenatal Testing
Sometimes referred to as a "curiosity test," a paternity test can be administered before a child is born in the second trimester of the pregnancy. One method is for a doctor to insert a needle into the amniotic sac of the mother and draw out amniotic fluid, which is used for testing. Known as an amniocentesis, this type of paternity test has risks involved, which include miscarriage and a small chance of harming the baby.
Postnatal Testing
A more common decision is to wait until a child has been born to perform a paternity test. A few postnatal paternity testing methods are available. A simple blood test is most common. However, other means are also used, such as taking a swab sample from a cheek, testing semen or hair and using the umbilical cord in testing.
Accuracy
According to Genetic Connections, DNA that is studied from blood or tissue samples should be analyzed at a minimum of 15 different points to properly establish paternity. A DNA paternity test can determine with 100 percent certainty that a man is not the father of a child. In cases where the paternity of a father is positively established, a DNA test concludes that there is a 99.9 percent possibility that the tested man is the father of a child. The .01 percent in question allows for the minute possibility that another random individual with the same race could have the same results from a paternity test.
Cost
Depending on location and the type of test chosen, a paternity test may cost $400 to $2,000. The American Pregnancy Association recommends choosing a test facility that has been accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).
