DNA paternity testing while pregnant can be done as early as the 7th week of pregnancy. With technological advancement, the non-invasive prenatal test is harmless with little/no risk to the mother or baby.
So, if you wish to discover the paternity result for your would-be child, below are some facts you should know before taking the test.
1. How important is it to conduct a DNA paternity test while pregnant?
A prenatal paternity test is taken to discover the biological relationship between the alleged father and baby. The test is imperative to meet the legal, psychological, and medical requirements.
The American Pregnancy Association (APA) says that paternity test:
- Determines both social and legal benefits, including social security, inheritance, etc.
- Provides your baby’s medical history
- Strengthens the relationship between the child and father
These are some of the potential reasons why most states in the U.S. have laws that require the paternity is established on the proper forms at the hospital right after the baby’s birth.
2. Prenatal Paternity Testing: Is It Safe?
Yes, it is safe and ensures accurate results during the pregnancy, before the baby’s delivery date. Sometimes waiting for the baby’s birth before establishing paternity while also expecting infallible test results can be difficult for both parents.
So, here are some assured DNA paternity tests you can conduct during pregnancy:
- Non-invasive prenatal paternity (NIPP)
This is one of the most accurate tests to establish paternity while pregnant. The test involves collecting blood samples from the mother and a check swab from the alleged father for a fetal cell DNA test.
A genetic profile from the cheek swab of the potential father is compared to the fetal cells sample taken from the mother’s blood sample. The result derived from this test is close to 100% accuracy. You can perform the test as early as the 9th week of pregnancy.
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) or Amniocentesis Invasive Paternity Test
This test is conducted within the 10th to 20th week of pregnancy.
This test involves inserting a long and thin needle through the mother’s cervix or into the mother’s abdomen to collect chorionic villi samples or amniotic fluid samples from the placenta or uterus. The collected DNA is then compared to the alleged father’s DNA.
Similar to non-invasive prenatal tests, the invasive prenatal test guarantees 99% accuracy to determine paternity.
However, the invasive paternity test has a risk of miscarriage resulting from the water breaking, premature labor pain, or infection.
Here are the possible side effects of the procedures:
- cramping
- leakage of amniotic fluid
- vaginal bleeding
- irritation/pain around the site of injection
Invasive paternity tests require a doctor’s consent as it carries risks and should only be performed if the non-invasive test is not an option or if the doctor is already collecting chorionic villi or amniotic fluid samples for a medical test.
3. Is it possible to determine the exact date of conception accurately?
Unless it is an IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) pregnancy, where the date of the father’s sperm transfer is known, it is impossible to accurately calculate the conception date as the sperm does not live longer than 5 days in the mother’s body.
If the woman has a regular menstrual cycle of 28 days, ovulation will occur 14 days before her next menstruation due date.
However, it will only give you an estimated date that may differ by 5-7 days in early pregnancy.
Only 5% of pregnant women get their accurate date of conception.
Suppose you had intercourse with two different partners within a 10 day interval, and are seeking the conception date for paternity reasons. In that case, a prenatal DNA paternity test is the best way to be sure of the father of your unborn child.
4. When can you perform the test?
The test can be performed at the 9th week of gestation period when the mother has enough fetal cells in her bloodstream.
5. How much will the prenatal DNA paternity test cost?
The cost will depend upon the type of prenatal paternity test you choose to perform. The prices generally vary between a range of several hundreds to several thousand dollars.
Accurate C&S Services, Inc. dba Accurate DNA Testing offers infallible DNA Paternity Testing services for personal and legal reasons.
To learn more:
Call us at 866-DNA-2018