Financial support, emotional support or simply peace of mind, are some of the reasons for having a paternity test done. All in all, it is important to know who the father of your baby is for their well being. This is because there are benefits that come with knowing one’s biological parents.
This article lists some of the most frequently asked questions about paternity test during pregnancy so that you can have a clearer idea before going through the test.
In the developed countries, there are laws that require unmarried couples to fill out an acknowledgment of paternity form at the hospital to identify the father of the unborn baby. This is because there are so many questions that are raised especially when it is not clear who the father of the baby is.
For instance, if you have not been married for the last 300 days and are pregnant, you have no one to call the father of your baby. Therefore, you need to have an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) clearly filled and sent to the bureau of vital statistics so as to determine and identify the father of your baby. Failure to do so denies your baby benefits such as veterans benefit, social security and health care.
Paternity Test While Pregnant
This is one of the tests done before the child is born. There are several tests under the prenatal testing. These include the following:
| Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity (NIPP) |
This is a non-invasive prenatal paternity test that causes almost no pain. This test uses the technology of DNA naturally found in the bloodstream of the mother and the alleged father. This method works because the baby’s DNA is found in the mother’s bloodstream. |
| Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) |
Here, a thin tube or needle inserted from the vagina through the cervix and guided by the ultrasound to collect chorionic villi or small finger like pieces of tissue on the wall of the uterus and matched alongside the fathers DNA to determine the baby’s biological parentage. The test can be done within the first 10-13 weeks of pregnancy. |
| Amniocentesis |
This is a test done in the second trimester of a pregnancy. Here, a needle is inserted into the uterus guided by the ultrasound and a small amount of amniotic fluid is drawn for testing. It is performed during the second trimester, between weeks 14-20. Consequences like cramping, vaginal bleeding and even miscarriage can happen. |
Paternity Test after Giving Birth
Watch a video for modern ways of postnatal DNA testing:
DNA testing can be done as early as towards the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.
It is a rule in most DNA laboratories that all test results are kept completely confidential.
The downside of this test is there are risks of harming the baby, miscarriage, cramping, amniotic fluid leakage as well as vaginal bleeding.
Paternity testing from an accredited laboratory goes for about $400.00 and $ 2,000.00 depending on ones locality. This is because prenatal testing is one of the most expensive tests carried out after a child is born. In fact, most DNA centers offer payment plans and require full payment before they can release the results.
The answer is YES. This is because with the correct biological parentage, a baby is entitled to benefits such as social security plus better health care as well as other inheritance benefits from both parents.