According to research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, about 4% of fathers raise a child that belongs to some other guy. That’s about one in 25 families.
It’s not surprising that the national average for a paternity test is estimated at around 300,000 per year in the U.S alone. It could be more, but those who want to do it have their fears about the privacy of the process.
This is understandable because conducting a paternity test could raise the question of doubt or mistrust in families. Just searching for a paternity test near me on a search engine is not enough; people need assurance that the facilities near them will offer private testing.
Fortunately, private testing is available by many DNA test companies. For instance, TestMe DNA which is highly rated on trust pilot, has private testing. If you’re looking for further information, you can click here to learn more.
Why Do a Paternity Test?
In 2016, People magazine covered the story of an Indiana doctor, Dr. Donald J. Cline, who allegedly impregnated his patient with his sperms. It was a betrayal of trust. Couples later discovered that the sperm donors they were told were a lie. Of course, they sued.
DNA testing is about protecting families.
For instance, couples struggling with infertility conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and trust that their eggs and sperm were used. However, mistakes can happen, leading to mix-ups.
A simple paternity test can quickly resolve any suspicion of such mix-ups. This is important before raising any unnecessary alarm and upsetting others with mere speculations.
How A Paternity Test is Done
To conduct a private paternity test, you will need to supply samples.
Samples can be dry blood or stains like a used band-aid, nail clipping without nail polish, nasal discharge using a handkerchief, ear wax, sperm, hair, recently used toothbrush, and many more.
You can also visit a clinic and have non-invasive buccal swabs taken as samples.
The facility will use the samples received to conduct a DNA test to establish relations between the concerned parties: a father and a son. This is done by comparing their DNA profile. This may take between 3 to 5 business days to get a result from the lab.
Home Vs. Legal Paternity Test
If the paternity test is just for your peace of mind, you can opt for a home paternity test. The process will still be private with discreet shipping of the testing kits with detailed instructions, and you wouldn’t have problems using them.
However, as mentioned earlier, over 300,000 paternity tests are conducted yearly in the U.S, and most of them are usually legal paternity tests to include or exclude a male from inheritance. If the paternity test is required for a court process, then a home paternity test is not ideal. You must send the sample to the lab to conduct a conclusive DNA test.
Wrap Up
Therefore, take action if you are looking for a paternity test near me on a search engine and are hesitant to contact any because of privacy issues. Paternity tests are always private.
