Non-Invasive Prenatal DNA Paternity Testing
What is non-invasive prenatal DNA paternity testing and how is it performed?
Non-invasive prenatal DNA paternity testing is unique in that paternity of an unborn child can be determined as early as 8 weeks after conception without an invasive and often dangerous procedure being performed on the mother and the fetus.
Non-invasive prenatal paternity testing is performed by collecting a DNA sample from the cheeks of each alleged father using a sterile buccal swab and a blood sample from the mother.
Who should choose non-invasive prenatal DNA paternity testing?
Non-invasive prenatal DNA paternity testing is typically performed for individuals and families who cannot or would rather not wait for the child to be born or who would rather not undergo invasive and often dangerous procedures such as Amniocentesis or Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS).
Prenatal DNA paternity testing cannot be performed if the mother is carrying multiples (twins, triplets etc...). In these cases, postnatal DNA paternity testing should be considered.
Prenatal DNA paternity testing is admissible in legal proceedings where paternity of the child is in question.
How we can help.
We can provide confidential and court admissible prenatal DNA paternity testing services. Our laboratory uses only the most advanced scientific methods and DNA high-sequencing instruments available.
In situations where donors are living in other states or even overseas, we can coordinate the collection of their samples where each donor resides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an appointment for Prenatal DNA Paternity Testing?
Yes. Appointment are required.
Can the test results be used in legal proceedings?
Yes.
The alleged fathers are brothers or close relatives, is the test still accurate?
Yes. If there are two or more possible fathers and they are brothers or close relatives, testing is still accurate. We need to know this ahead of time so that additional testing can be performed at the laboratory. Identical twins cannot be tested accurately.
I'm not certain how many weeks along I am. Can I still take the test?
The DNA of the fetus can be reliably detected in the mother's blood as early as 8 weeks after conception. If you aren't certain how many weeks pregnant you are, we recommend that you wait at least 8 weeks after your last known menstrual cycle. If you are still uncertain or your cycles are irregular, we recommend that you contact your primary care physician for help determining your estimated date of conception before ordering the test.
How long will the collection take?
Typically collections take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on the number of donors.
How long before I get my results?
Once all necessary donors have been collected results are usually available in as early as 10 business days. Some results may take up to 14 days before they are available.
Is this a blood test?
We use buccal swabs on the inside of the mouth to collect DNA from cells on the cheeks of the alleged father(s). The mother is required to provide a blood sample for testing.
If the mother is a minor, can she consent to testing?
Mothers who are minors at the time of testing cannot consent to their own testing unless they have been legally emancipated and can provide the necessary documents proving the emancipation. A parent or legal guardian must sign for the mother in these instances.
If the alleged father is a minor, can he consent to his own testing?
Alleged fathers who are minors at the time of testing cannot consent to their own testing unless they have been legally emancipated and can provide the necessary documents proving the emancipation. A parent or legal guardian must sign for the alleged father in these instances.
Is it possible to determine the gender of the child at the time of testing?
At this time we are not able to provide gender determination as part of this test. This may be something we provide in the future.
Is it possible to know when other donors make their appointments?
No. Appointment information is confidential and is not provided to anyone other than the person who made the appointment.
Information for Donors
Prior to setting up your test
Make sure to have all necessary information before setting up your test.
In some cases, testing may already be set up. To check if testing has already been set up for you, call us at (636) 916-0050. You will need the name of the alleged father when calling. If more than one alleged father is testing, you will only need to provide the name of one.
If testing hasn't been set up already, it will need to be set up before any appointments or specimen collections can be made. To make the set up process quick and accurate, make sure that you have all of the necessary information first.
To set up your test you will need:
- The names (and ages if under the age of 18) of all donors
- The number of alleged fathers to be tested
- If any of the alleged fathers are brothers or close siblings to each other (Identical twins cannot be tested)
- If any legal order of protections or restraining orders are in place between any of the donors (if known)
- If all of the donors are not in the same location you will need the location of each donor
- If a court has issued an order requiring the test
If you do not have all of the information, or are unsure about the information that you do have, please let us know this when setting up your test.
Setting up your test
Setting up your test is quick and can be done over the phone.
To set up your test, call us at (636) 916-0050. When you set up your test, you will be asked to provide some basic information about yourself and the donors.
Payment arrangements are also made at this time if another individual is responsible for payment. Payment arrangements must be completed before any collections can be scheduled or performed. For your convenience, we accept Visa or MasterCard over the phone.
Scheduling your collection
Appointments are required for collections.
Call (636) 916-0050 to schedule your collection appointment time or to make changes to your existing appointment.
When calling to schedule your collection appointment, make sure you have all of the necessary information to make the process quick and accurate.
To schedule an appointment, you will need to provide:
- The name of the alleged father. If more than one alleged father is testing, only one name is needed.
- Your name
- Your telephone number
- If any legal order of protections or restraining orders are in place between you and any of the other donors
- If you are an alleged father or the mother
- The date and time that you prefer
When choosing an appointment time, please keep in mind that the collection process takes about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the number of donors collected during the appointment. As a general rule, you should allot approximately 30 minutes for each donor being collected during the appointment.
We will make every effort to schedule your appointment for the date and time you prefer, but in some cases the appointment time may not be available.
Providing your specimen
Appointments are required for testing.
Payment is required at this time unless arrangements have already been made. Prior to arriving for your appointment, please be sure to bring with you:
- A valid (not expired) government issued photo ID
Acceptable IDs include (copies or faxes are not accepted):
- Driver's License
- Non-Driver License (state ID)
- Passport
- Military ID
- A copy of any court orders if the testing is ordered by a court
- A list of all names and their associated addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses you wish for us to release the results to
Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time to check-in and complete the necessary paperwork.
The collection process will take about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the number of specimens collected.
Obtaining your results
Test results are normally available 10 to 14 days after the last specimen is collected.
Telephone, fax and emailed results are typically available 10 days after the last specimen is collected. An original certified test result is provided to all alleged fathers and mother and typically arrive in the mail 14 to 18 days after the last specimen is collected. Donors can also request to hold certified results at our Saint Charles office for pickup.
For help interpreting your results after you receive them, please call (636) 916-0050 and one of our staff would be happy to discuss your result with you.
Have Questions?
DNA paternity testing is difficult to talk about. We understand.
Prenatal DNA paternity testing carries with it a lot of emotions. Most individuals and families who are seeking prenatal paternity testing are doing so for difficult and sometimes embarrassing reasons. We understand, and we want to do everything we can to make sure that the entire process is quick, easy and is performed as discreetly as possible. If you have any questions before, during or after your test, or any step along the way, please let us know. We will be happy to help.