Prenatal DNA Paternity Testing

DNA paternity testing works by drawing a comparison between a child's DNA profile and the equivalent profile of a presumed father. As any child's DNA will be made up of half from each biological parent, by comparing the two sets of DNA, scientists are then able to see what similarities may have been inherited. Whenever a parent and child are proven biologically related, then their DNA profiles will show perceptible patterns that mark them out as part of the same family.

Depending upon circumstances, approaches to DNA paternity testing vary. Testing can be conducted prenatally, which provides answers prior to birth, which can help to ensure clarity and a stable situation for all concerned when the child is born. Modern methods of prenatal DNA paternity testing have the advantage of being non-invasive (the procedure is similar to a blood test for the mother), differing in this respect from prior methods …show more content…
When paternity test results are required for any legal purpose, then strict procedures are followed by accredited laboratories to ensure test results are legally defensible. Typically this is only necessary for family law cases, child support/custody disputes etcetera, but in these instances the additional certainty provided by DNA paternity testing gives it a massive advantage over methods used historically.

DNA paternity testing can benefit from improved accuracy if the child's mother is available for testing; although a valid result can be achieved without the mother's participation, when the mother contributes a DNA sample, then the laboratory is able to exclude aspects of the child's DNA common with her, to give a clearer indication of how much of the remaining DNA is common to the alleged father. Again, this level of precision and understanding of what aspects of the DNA come from which parent is only made possible through the use of DNA paternity