About Paternity DNA Testing

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By Cindi Pearce
eHow Contributing Writer

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Who's your daddy? Well, it's not too difficult to find out nowadays, if you have access to your purported father. All you have to do is get a saliva sample from the inside of his mouth and then send it on its way to be tested by a lab.

Who Is or Isn't the Dad?

A paternity (father) DNA is used to determine the parentage of a child. A DNA test establishes who isn't the father, considered exclusion, because his DNA does not match up with the child's. A standard paternity test guarantees at least 99.99 percent probability of paternity for inclusions. It can guarantee 100 percent exclusion of paternity, according to DNAcenter.com.

Mother's DNA Can be Included

If the mother also submits to a DNA test, this can exclude half of the child's DNA, leaving the remainder for comparison with the purported father's DNA. Mothers, however, do not have to be involved. When this occurs, the test is considered "motherless." The results of a "motherless" DNA test done for paternity purposes has the same results as those that include the mother (99.9 percent inclusion; 100 percent exclusion regarding the father). Without the mother's DNA, additional tests must be done.

Easy Procedure

Retrieving DNA is remarkably easy. A swab is done of the inside of the individual's cheek, and that's the extent of it. Everything that is needed is contained on that swab, which has been swiped along the inside of the individual's mouth.

Genetic Blueprint

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is our genetic blueprint. It shows biological characteristics. DNA is found in every cell of the human body. A child gets half of his DNA from his mother and half from his father. When an individual's DNA is analyzed, it will match up with that of his biological parents.

Privately Done or Court-Ordered

When a DNA test is done privately, in your home, there is no requirement that the donor's identity be verified by any legal entity. Those providing the DNA sample may do it discreetly or otherwise. The samples are then submitted to a lab for testing. These private DNA tests are used for personal peace of mind or knowledge. However, when a paternity test is done per legal order, the identity of each donor must be verified and the lab's chain of custody guidelines must be strictly adhered to. DNA tests often are legally required for child support or child custody purposes.

Considerations

DNA tests are readily available and quite affordable. However, the results can be life-altering. Think long and hard before you do this because the outcome might not be what you had hoped for.