Prenatal DNA paternity testing is most often used in situations where there is a need to prove or disprove paternity before the child is born. Typically, these situations are due to a pending legal case that cannot move forward or be resolved until paternity is established. Prenatal testing can allow these cases to move forward or be resolved expeditiously by obtaining paternity test results quicker than it would take to wait for the child to be born.
Prenatal DNA paternity testing works by comparing the child's DNA with an alleged father's DNA. Just a few weeks after conception, the infant's DNA, called cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA), begins circulating through the mother's bloodstream. After 7 weeks, enough cffDNA is in the mother's blood that it can be isolated in the laboratory and then compared to the alleged father's DNA sample.
Prenatal testing can be accurately performed just 7 weeks after conception.
Prenatal testing is safe and non-invasive. DNA is collected from each alleged father by swabbing the mouth with sterile buccal swabs and a blood sample is collected from the mother.
The collector will pack and ship the samples to the laboratory for testing.
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Appointments are required for prenatal testing.
Donors should plan on being at the clinic for approximately 45 minutes.
Once all samples have been collected, results are usually available in 7 to 10 business days.
Prenatal DNA paternity testing determines paternity with over 99.9% confidence.
Unfortunately, women who are carrying twins or multiples are not able to utilize prenatal DNA paternity testing, and instead will need to wait until the children are born to perform paternity testing.
No, prenatal testing cannot be reliably used if the alleged fathers share a close biological relationship. In these situations, testing will need to wait until the child is born.
Mothers are required to provide a blood sample for testing.
Alleged fathers provide samples by swabbing the inside of the mouth with buccal swabs. No blood samples are collected from alleged fathers.
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 emancipation. A parent or legal guardian must consent for the mother in these instances.
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 emancipation. A parent or legal guardian must consent for the alleged father in these instances.
No, prenatal DNA paternity testing only provides the probability of paternity.
Appointment information is confidential; however, we can let other parties who are testing know which samples we have and have not collected, and which parties are scheduled to be collected.