Who’s Your Baby Daddy? Prenatal Paternity Test Will Find Out
DNA is one of the most important things in the study of the human body as a lot is dependent on the DNA of a person as it carries genes. Genes are distinct sequences of chromosomes which are part of the DNA. The genes are transferred from one generation to other and thus determine the characteristics of a person. It can be thus concluded that genes play a very crucial role in a person’s life. A prenatal paternity test comes in handy when you want to determine where your baby’s genes come from or in simple words it helps in determining who the father of your baby is before the baby is born. Here are some things you must know about the prenatal paternity test.
Importance
Why is it important to do a prenatal paternity test? A prenatal paternity test is important as it has a lot of social benefits and provides social security to both the mother and child. There are also a lot of legal benefits related to inheritance laws and the report of a prenatal paternity test would always come handy. This test also provides a more clear insight into the health issues of the baby and it gives a better clarity to the doctor while diagnosing the baby. In general, the prenatal paternity test can also be beneficial in creating a bond between the father and the baby. There are also a few states in the USA where the parents are required to provide information of the paternity through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form to legally establish who the father of the baby is.
Types of Prenatal paternity test
Commonly there are three types of prenatal pregnancy tests. They are as follows
Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test
This test is the most accurate test which you can do to determine the paternity of the baby. The non-invasive prenatal paternity test is simple to perform but gives an accurate result. For carrying out this test the mother and father just need to give their blood sample and then the DNA from the bloodstream is identified and thus the paternity of the baby is determined. This test can be carried out in the 8th week of pregnancy.
Amniocentesis
This test is carried on with the help of ultrasound where the doctor uses the ultrasound to give direction to a needle which is very thin. This needle is inserted into the uterus of the mother through the abdomen. The paternity of the baby is decided based on the amniotic fluid which is drawn from the needle. This type of prenatal pregnancy test can be carried out during the period between 14th and 20th week of pregnancy. This test is not foolproof and has a certain risk of harming the baby or even miscarriage. This test has to be performed carefully along with proper precautions.
Chorionic Villus Sampling
Prenatal paternity test through chronic villus sampling can be carried out within the time period of 10th to 13th week of pregnancy. The process is somewhat painful and involves insertion of a thin needle or a tube in the vagina through the cervix. This tube is guided by ultrasound to collect chorionic villi. The chronic villi and the fetus are emerged from the same fertilized egg and hence are built with a similar genetic makeup and hence the paternity of the baby can be determined with the help of chorionic villi. This test is to be carried out only with the doctor’s consent as it can be harmful to both the mother and the baby.
Cost
The cost to be incurred for a prenatal paternity test differs on which type of test you are doing and also depends upon where you are getting your prenatal paternity test done. The price range of performing a prenatal pregnancy test varies from $400 to $2000. There are some prenatal paternity testing sites available which perform the test at a lower price but the reports from these sites are doubtful and also not court approved.
A prenatal paternity test can be essential for creating a bond between the parents and their child. It would also secure the future of the child as it can also serve as a birth certificate for the child in the future years.
