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Legal paternity tests use DNA samples to identify a child’s father and obtain financial benefits. Prenatal testing can be done through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, while post-birth tests involve collecting DNA from blood, semen, tissue, hair, cheek swabs, or umbilical cord cells. Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling carry some risk, but ultrasound guidance can minimize it.
Legal paternity tests are crucial in identifying a child’s father and obtaining financial benefits such as child support or inheritance money. These tests need to be performed by professionals, usually using DNA samples, rather than just at home using test kits. For those who want results before the baby is born, prenatal testing can be performed, usually through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. Waiting until the child is born to carry out legal paternity tests is also possible and involves collecting DNA from blood, hair, tissue and more.
One of the most commonly used legal paternity tests is called an amniocentesis. This can only be done in the second trimester, specifically from week 14 to 20, for more accurate results. As the name implies, amniotic fluid is tested after it is collected using a long, thin needle. Because the needle is injected into the abdomen, there is a risk of hurting the baby during the test, but most doctors use an ultrasound to help guide the needle so that risk remains low. It should be noted that most insurance companies will not pay for this test unless it is medically necessary, such as testing for genetic disorders.
Another type of paternity test is chorionic villus sampling, also called CVS, which can be performed during the first trimester between weeks 10 and 13. This test involves placing a fine needle through the cervix and into the uterus. The purpose of this test is to collect chorionic villi, which are small pieces of tissue that form part of the uterine wall. Since they come from the same egg as the fetus, they must have the same DNA so the villi can be collected and tested to determine the father. Similar to amniocentesis, CVS can be risky, but guidance from an ultrasound can help keep the risks very low.
There are some legal paternity tests that can be done after the baby is born, and they tend to be less expensive than prenatal tests and are also less complicated and carry less risk. They all involve collecting the father’s DNA to compare it to the baby’s genetic makeup, and there are several ways to do this. Typically, blood is drawn and tested, but semen, tissue, and hair can also be used. In addition, it is possible to swab the cheek and collect cells this way, or collect cells from the baby’s umbilical cord to compare them to the father’s DNA through legal paternity tests.
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