What is a paternity test?

There are many circumstances which necessitate a paternity test. A night of partying can often lead to altered judgment and bad choices; even a monogamous relationship can still experience contraceptive failure; rape victims who become pregnant and must prove paternity to the judicial system also have the need for paternity testing. No matter the reason, paternity testing is a necessary facet of our lives. Children need their fathers either to parent or to assist in the financial support that will contribute to their successes later in life. People can say a child looks like the alleged father, that they have the same mannerisms or features, but the truth is that the only way to know the paternity of a child (with 99.9% accuracy) is a DNA test.

What is the test all about?

The most common form of DNA testing is Paternity testing- This is a scientific way to use genetic material in our body (cells) to establish the relationship between two individuals. In simple terms, this test provides genetic proof that a biological link exists between two people, most often a father and child. There are other methods of DNA testing, which can be in the form of a clinical lab test such as ABO blood group typing, human leukocyte antigens and even the analysis of an assortment of enzymes and proteins in the body. However, the two most prominent methods for DNA testing or 'genetic finger printing' are as follows:

• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)

These forms of DNA testing involve DNA samples of both the child and the parent to check the proximity of their similarity. Sixteen genetic markers are matched up, and the end result of this DNA testing (which is also known as the 'probability of parentage') is listed as zero when the man is not the biological father of a child. The same result is approximately 99.9% when the man is the biological father of a child.

Uses of paternity test:

There is absolutely no doubt that a paternity test is of great use to all parties involved. The benefits of this test are varied depending on perspective, but they are quite important as they pertain to the rights of the child. Following are a few instances when DNA testing can be essential:

• Filing for property rights when you are the child of a woman who was previously denied her rights as a wife. This situation often arises when you are a married woman who was left to fend for yourself while married. This is also the case when the man in question does not choose to acknowledge you or the child as being part of his life.
• During a custody battle when the woman has had previous affairs. In such a case, the man might ask for a paternity test to make sure that he does not end up taking care of someone else's child via child support or developing a close personal relationship with the child.
• Rape victims and their offspring are entitled to certain rights and benefits under the law and often a simple DNA test can help to convict the perpetrator of the crime.
• Young people who have sexual relationships are often not mature enough to deal with the implications of raising a child. The responsibility is more likely to be equally shared between the two parties and their families when the alleged father has been established biologically as the father of the child, which also helps to strengthen the bond between the father and child.
• There is another condition which is called reverse paternity testing wherein we use similar technology to establish relationship when there is no father available for testing. This is primarily used in order to determine relationship between the child and that of his other suspected kin, like cousins, when the father is deceased.

With the latest research and technology, even DNA testing has become 'smart' and is widely known to be the most sophisticated means of determining the paternity of a child. It is a very useful method to establish paternity, maternity, grandparantage, sibilingship, and so on. There are however, certain conditions where the paternity test may turn out to have 0-75% accuracy such as Chimerism (Chimersism is a rare disorder in which a person has more than one set of DNA) and of course, paternity fraud-wherein the Father will use a sample collected from another party in place of his own. This is why such testing must be done by competent and expertly trained professionals. Repeated testing can still determine the truth should such an unlikely scenario arise. The genetic testing of the cells is indeed a milestone of technology and is priceless not only for determining paternity for legal purposes, but also in restoring the full rights of the child involved.

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