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DNA testing uses cheek swabs to collect genetic material from cells, which can determine paternity with 99.99% accuracy. The test is non-invasive and can be performed on newborns. Home versions are available but not legally binding, and court-ordered tests must be done under controlled circumstances.
A DNA test examines the genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is found within all human and non-living cells. One way to collect DNA is through the use of a cheek swab, a process in which a sterile cotton swab is used to collect cells from the inside of the cheek to be used for testing. Because all cells from the same person have the same DNA, a swab test is as reliable as any other DNA testing method.
Since half the DNA comes from the mother and half from the father, when examined in the laboratory, the DNA profile can be matched to both the mother and the father. If a test shows that a child’s DNA does not match one or both parents, the child is not biologically related to that parent. It is seldom asked who a child’s mother might be, but DNA testing is often used to determine the identity of the father. According to laboratory information, it can be determined that a man is the father of a person with 99.99% accuracy, but if he is not the father, he can be ruled out with 100% certainty.
DNA swab testing is accepted by the courts when determining paternity. There is no difference between cells inside the cheek and blood cells, in terms of DNA content. This makes DNA testing much easier and less invasive than it used to be, when a blood sample was needed to perform the test. A DNA swab test can be performed on a newborn without pain or trauma to the baby, providing accurate paternity results right from birth.
For parents who are unsure about a child’s paternity, a home version of the DNA swab test can be purchased and shipped to a lab. Home collections aren’t legally binding, but this simple procedure can help in many cases where a man isn’t sure if a child is really hers or the mother knows that more than one man could be the father. The use of the DNA swab in such situations helps to remove doubt and reassure the father. These tests cost well under $100 US Dollars (USD) as of spring 2011 and are very useful in resolving paternity disputes. If a paternity test needs to be done to establish legal paternity, the courts will still accept the DNA swab test, but the collection must be done under controlled circumstances to ensure the right people are tested.
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