The Need to Know on DNA Testing
Thanks to a surge in the sales of pregnancy tests, couples could soon be asking an important question. Who’s the father? An estimated 300,000 paternity tests are performed in the United States every year. Thanks to improved testing and technology, men and women no longer need to leave the paternity of a child in question. DNA tests provide simplified answers to the fatherhood question.
Check out the facts:
- Three percent of all fathers in the U.S. have no idea that a child they believe is their own is not their biological child.
- About one in three men who take a paternity test will discover they are not the biological father.
- DNA tests, like those offered at Any Lab Test Now®, are 99.999 percent accurate.
Legally Admissible DNA Paternity Test
There are two kinds of paternity tests. The first is the legal forensic test, ordered by courts for child support and custody cases. One reason a court might order a DNA test is to rule out paternity fraud. This is when a woman intentionally leads a man into thinking that he is the father of her child, when in fact, she knows that he is not. Any Lab Test Now offers a Legally Admissible DNA Paternity Test. This test is required when a person attempts to seek or deny child support, child custody, or visitation; seek medical, social security. Or even receive military benefits; add or remove a name from the child’s birth certificate and/or voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, immigration, and adoption.
Informational Paternity
The second type of paternity testing is considered informational and cannot be used for a legal purpose. The Informational Paternity Test is discretionary and used for peace of mind.
How Paternity Testing Works
The process is very simple and easy. For a Legally-Admissible Paternity Test, the father and child must come to the testing site in person. An Any Lab Test Now technician collects skin cells from the child and the alleged father from the inside of the mouth using a soft swab. The DNA of the potential father is analyzed to determine the probability that his genetic markers are found in the child. Test results are available in an average of three to five business days after specimens are collected from all tested parties.
For an Informational Paternity Test, participants have the option of in-person sampling or a home collection kit that can either be picked up at the lab location or purchased online. Once the kit arrives at your home, you can collect the samples yourself and ship them back to Any Lab Test Now for testing.
Did You Know?
If the alleged father is deceased, Any Lab Test Now may still be able to help determine paternity. It will depend on the type of sample available or members of the alleged father’s bloodline who are willing to participate. This avenue is a blood sample that may have been collected by a medical examiner if an autopsy was performed. If no such samples are available, a specimen from a family member close to the alleged father, such as a biological brother, would also work.
Any Lab Test Now even offers an option for grandparents to help determine paternity with its Grandparentage test. This test is an indirect way to determine a family relationship and is very useful when an alleged father is unavailable or unwilling to participate in a paternity test.
Check out our FAQ page for answers to many frequently asked paternity questions.
DNA Testing is Easy
Don’t let questions of genetic relationships remain unanswered. With Any Lab Test Now, you can rest easy knowing you’ve taken the proper paternity test for your needs. Your confidential results will be shared with you in a timely manner.
Any Lab Test Now provides you with a safe and clean alternative location for lab work, including paternity testing. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Book an appointment online, or walk into an Any Lab Test Now location near you to find the answers to your paternity questions and ensure your child has a healthy future.
Paternity Doubts?
Regardless of whether you are an alleged father, mother, child or grandparent, dealing with questionable paternity brings on a rollercoaster of emotions that have an impact on your everyday life. You may feel angry or disappointed. You may feel complete confusion, or even embarrassment. The last thing you want to feel is judged.
Feeling these types of emotions is normal, especially when your relationship with your child and even other family members, partners or friends, is in question. Believe it or not, you are not alone. But, because you want the question to go away, the question running through your mind when you first make that step to know the truth is…“I just want to know.” You want the feelings and the cloud of doubt hanging over you to go away – NOW. However before making the decision to get a paternity test done, it is important to step back and approach the situation with a clear mind. What you do now may affect your, and most importantly, the child’s, future. The most important step to take before going through the test itself is to ask yourself, “Once I know…What am I ultimately going to do with the answer and test results?”.
The reason this step is so important is because there are two types of paternity tests. One type of DNA test is “informational”, also called a “peace of mind” DNA test or “self-collection kit. Although the DNA testing process is the same as for a legally-admissible paternity test, described further below, there is no chain-of-custody or identification information. As with kits purchased over-the-counter, there are also no guarantees on whose DNA is submitted if samples are not collected in front of each other. This means the test results cannot be used for any other purpose than to let you know the answer to the paternity question. That’s it – no names, no ID’s, nothing but a probability of paternity.
The most common type of paternity test is a Legally Admissible DNA Test. Remember that there are many factors that can change yours and the child’s lives after you have the test results that go beyond just knowing an answer. Will you or did you complete the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity at the time of the child’s birth? You may need proper evidence to either add or remove your name in that case. Are you going to utilize the results to change your child’s name on their birth certificate? Will you be asking for any kind of financial benefits, such as child support? Will you be seeking child custody, social security or military benefits? Then you need paternity test results that will be accepted as legal evidence. These test results not only clear you of doubts but also help you get the aid that you, your child and your family need.
Everyone’s situation and circumstance is a bit different. Either way, it is safe to say that the process can be no fun at all. For that reason, it is important to find a partner that will make the process go as simple and stress-free as possible. Whether you need legally admissible results or you just want peace of mind, ANY LAB TEST NOW® is here to help you through this emotional time. We will guide you towards the right test for your particular situation in order for you to be able to take the necessary next steps. Best of all, you can get your results in an average of only 3 business days.
For additional information visit www.anylabtestnow.com or call your local ANY LAB TEST NOW® today! Don’t let a questionable paternity interfere with your relationships and daily life. The Truth is Waiting.
