Where to Get a Paternity Test: All You Need to Know

June 26, 2024Drug Testing

In a perfect world, a child’s paternity would never be called into question. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, and there can be many reasons why you may need a paternity test in Jackson, MS. Whether you’re the mother of a child and need a paternity test to receive child support, a father who needs to establish his parental rights, or the child in question, just searching for clarification about your history—finding a paternity test is the first step to getting the answers you’re looking for. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about locating a paternity test that fits your needs and how to get the results.

Types of Paternity Testing

Not all paternity tests are created equal. It’s important to understand the different types available so that you can find one that suits your specific needs. Here’s a quick look at the different types of paternity tests:

Home DNA Testing: These are convenient, private tests that can be done in the comfort of your own home. They usually involve a cheek swab from the potential father and the child, which is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. This type of testing can be a good way to address personal matters concerning paternity, especially if you want to keep the matter private. However, because of potential collection issues and questions pertaining to chain of custody, this type of testing doesn’t hold up in court.
Standard Paternity Testing: The same type of cheek-swab paternity testing can be conducted in the security of a lab. This gives you peace of mind that the collection is done correctly, and that the samples can’t be lost in the mail. While some people are nervous about exposing their familial issues to strangers, rest assured that our lab operates under the utmost discretion, and no information regarding your testing or the results will be revealed to anyone but you.
Legal Paternity Testing: If you want your paternity test results to be admissible in court, you will need to request a legal paternity test. While these tests function in the same way in terms of collection, specific chain of custody procedures are followed so that the results of your testing cannot be called into question in a court of law. We will also provide you with a certificate stating the authenticity and accuracy of your test results that you can take to court with you.
Prenatal Paternity Testing: In some cases, parents want to verify the paternity of a child before he or she is born. Luckily, modern technology allows for prenatal paternity testing, which can be just as accurate as paternity tests conducted using cheek swabs. If you’re concerned about how the testing will impact your unborn child, don’t worry. We can actually take fetal DNA from the mother’s blood, so there’s no need to access the baby in utero at all. This makes it safe and easy to get that early paternity testing done so you can establish a parenting plan before your child even arrives.

Any one of these tests can provide you with the answers you’re seeking regarding your or your child’s paternity. You simply need to decide which option is best for your situation, then locate a lab or seller that offers that type of testing—which is what we’ll dig into next.

Where to Find a Paternity Test

Once you’ve determined the type of test you need, it’s time to find a provider. Here are the options you can choose from, as well as their pros and cons:

Mail-In DNA Testing Kits: This option is available to you if you want an at-home paternity test. Such kits can be purchased online or at local drugstores from a variety of vendors. Popular DNA testing sites like Ancestry, MyHeritage, and 23andMe offer paternity testing as a part of their DNA services. Each kit provides detailed instructions on collecting and mailing in the samples. Though private, convenient, and affordable, these tests are not legally admissible, and run the risk of your samples being lost or damaged in transit, making the results less accurate.
Local Labs and Clinics: Some local laboratories and clinics offer paternity testing services. These locations can typically provide both legal and non-legal paternity tests, should either of those options be the best one for you. This option offers you professional sample collection and option for legal admissibility for court purposes. They can also usually offer faster results than a mail-in kit. However, the cost is higher, and you will need to schedule an appointment for the sample collection to be done in person.
Specialized Paternity Testing Centers: These centers offer a wider range of paternity testing options and have a great deal of expertise in the area, with a high rate of accuracy and reliability. However, they have the highest costs of all the options listed here, and finding a specialized center can be difficult.

Though Mobile Drug Screen offers more than just paternity testing at our labs and clinics, we offer a great deal of expertise in the realm of paternity testing. We can provide you with an affordable paternity test in Jackson, MS, whether you need a non-legal, legal, or prenatal test. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.