Many new parents choose to use at-home paternity testing kits to determine the paternity of their child following the birth, but there are many reasons why they may want to confirm the biological father of the child before the baby’s born. If you have been giving thought to getting a DNA test before the baby is born, you have several options to choose from. There are two choices that are considered “invasive,” and pose some risk to the baby; they are amniocentesis and CVS. If the only reason you would get either of these tests is to determine paternity, then you may want to rethink these options, because—thankfully—with today’s modern DNA technology and techniques, you have a completely safe and non-invasive option.
Can You Get a DNA Test Before the Baby is Born?
You can get a DNA test before the baby is born with a non-invasive prenatal paternity test , which can be performed by DNA Diagnostics Center anytime after the 7th week of pregnancy. All it requires is a cheek-swab DNA sample from the possible father and a small blood sample from the mom, so it doesn’t pose any kind of risk to the mother or baby. The technology is extremely reliable and can be depended on to return a 99% or higher probability of paternity if the man tested is considered the biological father or a 0% probability of paternity if he is not. Not all companies’ prenatal paternity tests are created the same, however: The DDC test is the only one accredited by the AABB and therefore maintains the highest standards for excellence in testing.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW A PRENATAL PATERNITY TEST WORKS >
Why You May Want to Choose a DNA Test Before the Baby is Born
A prenatal paternity test can be a better choice than a postnatal one for some expectant mothers. Here are 5 reasons why.
1. To Lessen Stress during Pregnancy
You can never eliminate all stress from life, whether you’re pregnant or not. However, many studies confirm that constant stress can have direct negative effects on an unborn child. In an online article from WebMD, OB/GYN Ann Borders, MD, from Evanston Hospital in Illinois says, “…higher chronic stressors in women may be associated with lower birth weight and with delivering earlier.” Not knowing who the father of your child is the very definition of a high stressor, so getting answers through a prenatal paternity test can really help take a load off your mind.
2. To Help Make Relationship Decisions Prior to Birth
Do you want to commit to creating a lasting relationship with the father of your baby? If there are two or more possible fathers in the picture, a prenatal paternity test can help you find the answers you need to make decisions about personal ties. Waiting till after the baby’s born can complicate this process considerably, which is an important factor to consider.
DID YOU KNOW? Certainty™ by DDC is the first and only prenatal paternity test accredited by the AABB.
3. To Get your Legal Ducks in a Row Early
If you anticipate not sustaining a relationship or pursuing a legal union with the biological father after the birth of your baby, you may want to get a head-start on taking care of legalities that can financially protect you and the child. With results from a prenatal paternity test in hand, you’re prepared to make pre-arrangements for child support, custody, etc.
4. To Involve the Biological Father in Birth Preparations
There’s so much to do to get ready—from participating in birthing classes to doctor’s appointments to buying a crib! If you want the financial and/or emotional support of the biological father through the necessary ins and outs of preparing for baby, then you may want to confirm paternity as soon as possible instead of waiting till later.
5. To Have the Right Person by your Side When Giving Birth
Giving birth is an intensely intimate and perhaps spiritual experience. When bringing a new little person into the world, it may be important to you to have the biological father either with you in the delivery room or waiting outside. When you do a paternity test while pregnant, you can have confidence that the right person is participating in the birth and signing the baby’s birth certificate.
Final Thoughts about a Prenatal Paternity Test
You may have your own very different reasons for considering getting a paternity test while pregnant. Whatever those may be, be sure to choose a highly-accredited and respected paternity testing lab with years of experience and the best reputation in the industry. A prenatal test costs considerably more than a postnatal one, so you want to be sure you can trust results.
Call us for a FREE confidential consultation at 800-929-0847: We’re here to help.
Do you have questions or comments about prenatal paternity testing? Share in the comments and we’ll answer.
Hello, is there a place that does that on Delaware.
Hi, Niecey. We have DNA-collection facilities in every state. Please contact us directly at 800-681-7162 (8 AM to 8 PM Eastern) for more info.
How many swabs are taken from the father for non invasive testing ?
Hi, Lee. We generally use four (4).
So if I did the non invasive test. 4 swabs would have been sent in?
Our kits include four (4) swabs, yes.
I had my test results come back and the gender was correct but I’m very worried about the results of the test. How do I know that this test is 100% accurate?
Hi, Courtney. You can be sure the result of your test is correct for the samples we were provided to test.
How are samples verified for non legal test ?
Hi, Michelle. For non-legal testing, the test participants are responsible for ensuring the correct DNA is submitted for testing. They can do this by watching each other swab and maintaining custody of the samples right up until they are mailed to the lab. The only verification the lab can do is to determine whether the samples submitted are for a male or female. If samples submitted are for a female when they are supposed to be for a male, testing is suspended without issuing results and we reach out for new samples.
After submitting the noninvasive test (blood from mother; cheek swab from potential father), are the results kept confidential where only the mother is told if the father was a match or not?
I wouldn’t want either of the men to be told by anyone but myself in a private setting.
For a non-chain test, results are only made available to the person who created login credentials.
Hi, do you guys have a location in Chicago Illinois? & how can I get started with an non invasive paternal dna test?
Hi, Mya. We have an excellent AABB-accredited DNA-collection location in Chicago, and they can get you started with a prenatal paternity test. You can get contact information here: https://dnacenter.com/about-ddc/locations/chicago-il/
So I went back to get my blood work done again. I’m doing a non-invasive test. What are my chances that this time around will help them determine. I’m currently 10 weeks. I went for retest at 9 weeks and 6 days.
Hi, Melanie. The chances of your having enough free-floating fetal DNA in your blood for testing generally increases as your pregnancy moves along. So your chances are good.
Hello, so I’m scheduled to go in for a 3rd time now to draw blood. For a prenatal test. How many times could it take before I can get results?
Hi, Holly. Every woman is different, and in unusual instances (like yours), it takes longer for there to be enough free-floating fetal DNA in the bloodstream to complete testing. Some women never have enough, which can be due to a variety of reasons, but it’s not related to the health of the pregnancy. Hopefully for you, third time’s a charm. There is no set number of times for attempting the test, but usually one of our PhDs will let us know if it appears a woman is not going to be a good candidate.
I am 15 weeks pregnant and wanting more info on prenatal dna testing, how long results take, and payment plans. I am located in Dallas, Tx.
Hi, Julissa. There are answers to your questions on the following page, and you are also welcome to contact us for a free confidential consultation at 800-929-0847 (M-F, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time): https://dnacenter.com/paternity-testing/non-invasive-prenatal-paternity-testing/