Paternity Test
WHAT IS A PATERNITY TEST?
A paternity test is a DNA test which can show and prove that a man is the biological father of a child.
A paternity test is very important when there is concern about whether a man is the biological father of a child/individual. This can affect their parental responsibility, duties and responsibilities towards the child.
HOW ACCURATE IS A PATERNITY TEST?
Paternity tests are 99.9% accurate.
WHY WOULD A PATERNITY TEST BE DONE?
The two main reasons why a paternity test needs to be done are:
- To identity inherited genetic conditions.
- To identify the biological father of a child.
HOW IS A PATERNITY TEST DONE?
Genetic material (DNA sample) will be required from the man and the child. DNA tests use either:
- A swab of the inside of the cheek
- A blood sample.
Occasionally the mother may also need to provide a DNA sample.
WHICH PATERNITY TEST WILL HAVE LEGAL STATUS?
DNA tests done in a medical environment (at a clinic) will have legal status.
Home DNA kits and online paternity tests will not stand up or be counted in the court of law.
WHAT IS A PRENATAL PATERNITY TEST?
A prenatal paternity test is one that is done during pregnancy. These tests are also 99.9% accurate.
There are 3 DNA tests that can be done:
- Amniocentesis test – This test is usually done between the 15th – 20th weeks of pregnancy. A needle is inserted into the mothers abdomen and some amniotic fluid is extracted. This amniotic fluid is used to match the DNA of the mother and the father.
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) – This test is usually done between 10 – 13 weeks after the mothers last period. A sample of placenta taken from the mother is compared to the DNA of the mother and father.
- Non-invasive prenatal paternity test (NIPP) – A blood sample is taken from the mother during the first trimester of the pregnancy. This blood will contain DNA from the foetus. This blood sample is compared to the fathers DNA.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO A FATHER DURING AND AFTER A PATERNITY TEST?
A paternity test can be very unsettling for a man. They are either doing the test to prove they are the father or disprove it.
Test done to disprove a man is the father of a child – If a man has been accused of fathering a child and he believes the child is not his then this test can prove whether he is or is not the father. This is called maternity fraud. No doubt the alleged father will have been stressed and upset since being accused. The stress will be heightened during and after the test as he waits for the results. Whether it is proved that a man is the father, or whether it is proved he is not and he is happy and relieved, he can be left unsettled and scarred for a very long time. Occasionally the deep inner feelings surrounding this paternity test can surface years later.
Test done to prove a man is the father of the child – One of the most traumatising things a man/father can experience is when paternity is in question. The child he has been supporting, loving, caring for and bonding with for some time or looking forward to bonding with if the mother is pregnant may all of a sudden not be their child. While awaiting the results the man will be stressed and anxious. If the test is positive the father will feel relief but the stress he has been through can cause some scarring. If the test is negative the man may feel embarrassed, shamed, humiliated and deeply hurt. He may feel confused and probably won’t know which way to turn or what to think. This can have a bad effect on a man’s mental health. Whatever he does next will affect the child, the family and the mother. This is a huge burden to carry. If the man accepts the child despite the fact he is not the biological father it may take some time for him to overcome the trauma of finding out the reality of his relationship with the child.
It is also best to go and have counselling for either situation above so that you can move forward having sorted out your trauma.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO A CHILD DURING AND AFTER A PATERNITY TEST
A child who is aware that there is an issue about who is their biological father, can be very scared and unsettled during this time. Where a child has bonded with their ‘father’ and now it may turn out that someone else is their biological father, the child can feel hurt, confused and afraid. There is uncertainty because who will now be their father, what will happen to their relationship with their existing father and will they have a new father. It is known that many children who have faced this situation have gone on to suffer from depression and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).