If done correctly, paternity testing is 99.999% accurate in determining if someone is the father of the child in question, and 100% accurate in determining if they are not. Most paternity tests involve at least 16 individual tests of the DNA to provide increased accuracy.
The method of obtaining samples is easy and pain free. Blood is collected by pricking the finger (or heel of a young baby) and obtaining a few drops of blood. Swabs, resembling cotton buds, are used to collect cheek cells from the inside of the mouth.
In accordance with the code of practice and guidance for genetic paternity testing (1997), the mother is required to give consent for a DNA sample to be taken from the child if the child is under 16. By having access to the biological mother's genetic code half of the DNA can be eliminated immediately, making the father's contribution more evident.
Yes. For the test results to hold up in a court of law a doctor/independent official will be required to collect the sample. You will also have to provide additional personal information to confirm your identity.
No, children can be tested at any age. If you are having the test samples taken by your GP, the age at which the samples can be taken will be at their discretion.
When undergoing paternity testing, a few drops of blood from the finger or swabs of cheek cells are taken from inside the mouth of each person tested. These are then analysed and treated to release the DNA from the cells. The patterns in the DNA of the mother and alleged father are compared with the child's to see if a relationship exists.
The hair itself is not tested but the hairs follicle, or more commonly known as the root, where the actual DNA exists. Extraction of the DNA from hair is more complex and costs considerably more as a result. Only hair that has been pulled from the root can be used, not hair that has fallen out as it will usually have a dead follicle.
Yes the guidelines are very simple. You need only ensure you are collecting the sample from the appropriate person and that the samples are labeled correctly and not cross contaminated.
This will be achieved by using a DNA Relationship Test. This test is used to establish either full or half siblingship - i.e. if two individuals have the same parent(s). The accuracy of this test is <15% exclusion and >90% inclusion - where an inclusion is a genetic match. The relationship does not have to be sisters or brothers, it could be cousins or another distant relation.
To be absolutely certain where there is the possibility of more than one father all the individuals should be tested.
We can send a DNA test kit anywhere in the world. DNA collected using our kit is very robust and will not be affected in any way during the journey. Once all the necessary samples are returned we will inform you and send them to our laboratory. The results will then be sent to you as normal.
A mouth swab looks like a long Q-tip. It is used to gather cheek cells from the inside of your mouth. DNA is consistent throughout the body, so the DNA in your cheeks cells is identical to the DNA in blood cells. The mouth swab allows for non-invasive and painless DNA collection.
We enclose simple, easy to understand instructions for collecting the samples. If the instructions are followed carefully, there is no need for you to be concerned. Our concerns are ensuring that enough cells are collected for testing, the samples are from the appropriate person and the specimens are labeled correctly.
