Benefits of Prenatal DNA Testing: All You Need to Know
If you are the potential father and you want to know for sure the paternity of a fetus or if you are the mother and are looking to determine or prove the paternity of your unborn child, prenatal DNA testing just might be for you.
What is Prenatal DNA Testing?
First, prenatal DNA testing is used before the baby is born to determine who the father is. This type of testing can be done in several different ways but requires the mother to be tested and the potential father at the same time in order to match the DNA.
The primary way of testing is through amniocentesis, which takes a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus and the DNA of the father and attempts to find a match. If there is a match then paternity can be established. But this type of prenatal testing comes with risks to the baby.
Less invasive methods take DNA from the mother to locate the father’s DNA and then compare the DNA to the potential father’s DNA. This type of testing is less dangerous for the baby but also has a lower level of accuracy and may not be admissible in court.
If you’re looking to get the DNA testing done for court purposes you may want to discuss this with an attorney first so you know which type of testing needs to be done for admissibility. Otherwise you may need to redo the testing later.
Why Get Prenatal DNA Testing?
If you are not sure you are the biological father of the baby and knowing will make a difference in your decisions moving forward you may want to establish paternity early on. Or if you are looking to establish your rights as early as possible but the mother is not inclined to provide those rights, or if you are the mother looking to ensure the father takes responsibility for their child, you may want to get this testing done.
The sooner you get DNA testing and establish paternity, as the mother or the father, the more say you will have overall and the sooner that will happen. While the father’s ability to have a say won’t start until after the baby is born, the process of proving paternity right away ensures that those rights are established immediately.
As the father you will be able to get visitation or custody rights immediately upon the birth of the child or may even be able to set these up prior to the birth. If you are the mother you may be able to get started on establishing responsibility and specifically child support as soon as the baby is born.
Prenatal DNA Testing at Mobile Drug Screen
If you’re looking to get paternity testing done, whether you are the mother or the potential father, getting it done fast is definitely going to give you the best results and help you get the say you’re looking for. Contact Mobile Drug Screen to set up prenatal DNA testing as soon as possible.