There are times when DNA testing is need to determine who is the father of your child. If there is any doubt about who it could be, finding out their true identity can change everything. That’s where a home paternity test can come in handy. The results of a home test will not stand up in court and they aren’t useful in terms of legal proof, but they can provide peace of mind for you and the potential fathers involved. It can make a huge difference in the life of your child.
How Does It Work?
You can order a kit online or buy one through a local drug store. The kit costs about $20 and includes everything you need to complete the test when and where it is convenient for you. There’s no need to schedule an appointment. The kit comes with instructions, cotton swabs, collection envelopes for each of the parties’ swabs and a return envelope to send all of the swabs in to the lab. The lab results can be obtained through a secure website within two to five business days. You decide who to share the results with. The cost of the lab work is around $120.
How Accurate Are The Tests?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviewed experts for his cnn blog and found that “these tests rely on around 15 markers, and that makes it pretty accurate.” In fact, when both parent’s swabs are including in the lab testing, there is a 99.9 percent accuracy rate. When possible, include swabs from all suspected parties involved for better accuracy.
That being said, errors do occur with home tests. Since no technician or nurse is on site during the testing to ensure that the it is done properly, mistakes can happen. Sample collection errors can create poor results. Mixed up samples can skew the results, no matter how good the lab is.
Lab Reliability
The reliability if the lab also plays a role though. Incorrect results generally occur in the lab when technicians fail to perform duplicate testing. The first step is to getting the most accurate results is purchasing the home paternity test from a reliable source that uses a quality lab. According to WebMD, lab results should be provided by a lab that is certified the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment. This helps ensure honest and accurate results.
Being uncertain about who your child’s father is can deeply effect the lives of everyone involved. Aside from clearing up legal matters and who might be responsible for raising the child, it is best to know early on so the child and father are able to form a bond. A home paternity test can help identify who the father is and make sure the right person is a part of the child’s life.