When we talk about the reasons why people might want a paternity test, the first thought that probably comes to mind is confirming paternity for the purposes of child maintenance.
However, there are many reasons for ordering a paternity test that go beyond ensuring a child is cared for financially.
In this blog, we look at some of the other reasons why a person might need a paternity test:
1. You want to learn more about your family’s medical history
For couples/individuals trying to conceive, or for people who are simply curious about their health, knowing your family’s medical history – especially when it comes to hereditary illnesses – can be extremely important.
Not only can it help you gain insight into any health problems that could arise in the future, but it can also enable you to seek testing and diagnosis for genetic disorders that run in your family, or that could be passed down to your children.
In turn, this can help ensure you are treated early (before symptoms begin or worsen) or can even help you decide whether you want to add to your family.
However, people who are unsure as to who their biological father is will not have access to valuable information about genetic conditions that could be inherited via the paternal line.
In these situations, a paternity test, or another form of DNA relationship test (grandparent, aunt/uncle, Y chromosome test) on a paternal relative can be used to verify paternity, and help you obtain a more complete picture of your family’s medical history.
2. You have doubts about the paternity of your unborn child
Although paternity tests are most often performed after the baby has been born, it is also possible to perform a paternity test while the mother is still pregnant.
This is useful for expectant parents who want to verify paternity before the birth, where it is unclear who the biological father might be.
It can also help you make important decisions about your baby’s care before he or she arrives.
A non-invasive prenatal paternity (NIPP) test is a 100% safe, risk-free test for mother and baby, that simply requires a blood sample and two cheek swabs from the mother, and two cheek swabs from the alleged father.
3. Adults who have questions about their parentage
In an ideal world, everyone would know who their biological father is from birth.
Sadly however, this is not always the case, and there are many people who have questions about their parentage a long way into adulthood.
If you have lived for many years without knowing who your biological father is, a paternity test can be the ideal solution, providing answers to long-standing questions.
Some psychologists believe that knowing the truth about your biological background is important in helping you to develop or reinforce a sense of identity.
4. Adopted children who want to confirm who their father is
As with adults who have questioned their paternity from childhood, adopted children may have a strong desire to locate their biological father.
In these circumstances, paternity testing can help reunite families and provide the missing piece of the puzzle for people who want to know more about their biological roots.
5. Where a child was conceived via a sperm donor or other fertility treatments
With increasing numbers of babies being born as a result of fertility treatments like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and sperm donation, paternity testing can provide peace of mind as to the biological identity of the child’s father.
Because the fertilisation process takes place in a clinic or hospital, there is a small risk of mistakes happening, and the wrong sperm sample being used during the procedure.
For this reason, individuals or couples who conceive using fertility treatments may decide to perform a paternity test while the mother is still pregnant (prenatal paternity test) or after the baby has been born (paternity test), for added reassurance that the right man is the biological father.
6. Settling inheritance disputes
The question of a person’s paternity can become even more significant when a family member passes away, and important decisions need to be made regarding their estate.
In circumstances where a child wishes to make a claim to their deceased father’s estate – and paternity is in dispute – a paternity test can help verify a biological relationship between father and child.
However, it is important to note that a peace of mind home paternity test would not be suitable for settling an inheritance dispute.
For the results to be admissible in court or for legal matters, you would need to instruct us for a legal DNA test.
Paternity testing you can trust
Whether you simply want to confirm who a child’s biological father is for your own peace of mind, or have another personal reason for ordering a test, an AlphaBiolabs Paternity Test can help you find the answers you need.
For just €135 with results in 2-3 days, this extremely easy test simply requires cheek (buccal) swabs to be rubbed quickly and painlessly on the inside of the mouth to collect cheek cell DNA from each test participant (alleged father and child).
This totally painless method of sample collection means that the test can be performed on a person of any age, from new-born babies to older children and adults.
Our DNA laboratory is also ISO 17025-accredited, so you can be sure of receiving 100% accurate, reliable results.
Before ordering a home paternity test, we would always recommend that you think carefully about your reasons for wanting a test and consider what the outcome of the test could mean for you and your family.
It’s easy to order your peace of mind paternity test online. However, if you require assistance, call our Customer Services team on 01 402 9466 or email info@alphabiolabs.ie.
For court-approved paternity testing, call the team using the number above, or email testing@alphabiolabs.com to discuss your requirements and request a quote.
Home Paternity Testing Kits
Order your Paternity Test online now for just €135.
