Legal paternity tests are essential for determining a child’s father and obtaining financial benefits such as child support or inheritance. Rather than being done at home with test kits, such tests should be done by professionals using DNA samples. Prenatal testing, which is typically done through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, is available for those who want results before the baby is born. It’s also possible to wait until the child is born to conduct legal paternity tests, which entails collecting DNA from blood, hair, tissue, and other sources.
Amniocentesis is one of the most commonly used legal paternity tests. For the most accurate results, this can only be done in the second trimester, specifically from week 14 to week 20. The amniotic fluid is tested after being collected with a long, thin needle, as the name implies. There is a risk of harming the baby during testing because the needle is injected through the abdomen, but most doctors use an ultrasound to guide the needle so that this risk is minimized. Most insurance companies will not cover this test unless it is medically necessary, such as when testing for genetic disorders.
Chorionic villus sampling, or CVS, is another type of paternity test that can be done between weeks 10 and 13 during the first trimester. A thin needle is inserted into the cervix and into the uterus for this test. The goal of this test is to collect chorionic villi, which are tiny tissue fragments found in the uterine wall. They should have the same DNA as the fetus because they came from the same egg, so the villi can be collected and tested to find out who the father is. The CVS, like the amniocentesis, can be dangerous, but with the help of an ultrasound, the risks can be minimized.
There are a few legal paternity tests that can be done after the baby is born that are less expensive, less complicated, and carry fewer risks than prenatal testing. They all entail gathering DNA from the father and comparing it to the baby’s genetic makeup, and there are several methods for doing so. Blood is typically collected and tested, but other samples such as sperm, tissue, and hair can also be used. Additionally, cells can be collected by swabbing the cheek or taking cells from the baby’s umbilical cord and comparing them to the father’s DNA through legal paternity tests.