Get the answers you need this Father’s Day

Father’s Day is observed in many countries around the globe and while traditions and dates may vary, this year it will take place in Ireland on Sunday 18th June.

Adopted after the Second World War, it’s a day where dads, stepdads, granddads, and father figures are celebrated with cards and gifts.

But, as a leading health DNA laboratory, we understand how difficult days like this can be for estranged families and those who have questions over their biological father.

Paternity testing you can trust

There are a number of reasons why an individual might want a paternity test, including where there are doubts about the paternity of an unborn child, where adults have questions about their parentage, and where adopted children want to confirm who their parents are.

Paternity testing can also help people gain an insight into their family medical history and can help settle inheritance or child maintenance disputes.

DNA testing for paternity is the most accurate scientific method of verifying a relationship between a child and its biological father. At AlphaBiolabs, we offer three different types of paternity tests.

For just €135, our peace of mind DNA test is Ireland’s fastest and most accurate paternity test. If there are doubts around a child’s biological father, this quick and affordable test will provide you with the answer you need.

Simply order your paternity test and post your cheek swab samples back to us. Your samples will be analysed in-house at our award-winning laboratory, and your results will be sent to you within 2-3 days.

We also offer prenatal paternity testing for €995. An AlphaBiolabs non-invasive prenatal paternity test is 100% risk free for mother and baby and can be performed as early as 7 weeks into pregnancy. Our tests are completely safe, unlike invasive prenatal paternity tests (chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis), which carry a small risk of miscarriage.

For this test, the mother’s blood and cheek swab samples and the alleged father’s cheek swab samples are collected, free of charge, by our specially-trained clinicians at our walk-in centre in Dublin.

The mother and alleged father do not need to attend the same appointment, but we do recommend that samples are collected around the same time. This reduces the likelihood of the mother’s blood sample degrading, which can render the sample unusable.

​​Our specially-trained clinicians will collect all samples and ensure they are safely transported back to our laboratory for testing.

Please note that the above two tests are for peace of mind only and are not admissible in court.

However, our legal DNA tests can be used as evidence in court cases. This means that they must be performed under strict and specific conditions called ‘chain of custody’.

Under chain of custody conditions, a trained sample collector must collect the samples required. They must also ensure that the correct individual is providing the DNA sample by checking their ID, taking photographs, and obtaining signed paperwork. The samples are then sealed using tamper-proof tape before being securely returned to our laboratory.

AlphaBiolabs is an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, meeting the highest international quality standards so you can always be sure of receiving reliable and accurate results.

If you have any questions about DNA testing for paternity, contact our friendly Customer Services team on 0140 29466 or email info@alphabiolabs.ie.