DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) is the world leader in DNA Paternity Testing at home, performing over one million paternity tests each year. Each test is processed at our state-of-the-art facility outside Cincinnati, providing online results as soon as 24 to 48 hours after the samples arrive at our lab and go into testing. This detailed paternity test report contains scientific as well as legal terms to describe our highly precise process and your results. Here’s a breakdown of the different sections in the report and what they mean for you and your family.
Call Now: CALL NOW: 1.800.681.7162
Understanding Your Paternity Test Report
When you receive your DDC paternity test results, it may seem overwhelming at first. The report includes scientific data, terms, and complex figures that might feel difficult to interpret. This section aims to break down the report and make the results more understandable. Whether you’re seeking closure, legal confirmation, or personal clarity, understanding your test results is a crucial part of the process.
DDC Paternity Test Results Report Overview
Your DDC paternity test results report contains several key sections, each displaying important information. These sections include:
- Genetic System Table (Locus/Allele Sizes Chart)
- Combined Paternity Index
- Probability of Paternity
- Test Conclusions
Each section serves a specific function in helping to establish paternity, providing you with both statistical data and a clear conclusion about whether or not the tested individual is the biological father.
Genetic System Table
The Genetic System Table is one of the most crucial parts of your paternity test report. This table contains DNA data collected from all parties tested, and it plays a pivotal role in determining whether a biological relationship exists between the alleged father and the child.
What is a Locus and an Allele?
A locus is simply a location on a chromosome where a specific gene or marker is located. Each person has two alleles at each locus—one inherited from their mother and the other from their father. The Genetic System Table lists the loci and alleles for the child, the mother (if tested), and the alleged father.
The alleles are compared across all parties to determine whether the alleged father shares a genetic match with the child. If the mother’s DNA is tested, her alleles will also be considered in this comparison to ensure accuracy. This comparison is essential for excluding non-matching DNA segments and verifying potential matches with the alleged father.
How to Read the Genetic System Table
At first glance, the table may appear to be a list of numbers and terms that make little sense. However, each number represents the size of the alleles for the individuals being tested. In most cases, at least one allele in each locus from the child must match one allele from the alleged father. For example, if the child inherits a “16” allele from the mother, the remaining allele must match one from the father for the paternity test to indicate a match.
The table also includes a locus called Amelogenin, which is a marker that indicates the sex of each individual. A pair of X alleles indicates a female, while an X and Y combination indicates a male.
Paternity Index: Understanding the Statistics
The Paternity Index (PI) is another important part of your paternity test report. This number, which appears in the Combined Paternity Index section, represents how strong the match is between the alleged father and the child at each DNA locus.
The Paternity Index at each locus is calculated based on the likelihood that the child’s DNA was inherited from the alleged father, as opposed to a random, unrelated man from the same population group. The Combined Paternity Index (CPI) is the cumulative product of all these individual indices. The higher the CPI, the more likely the alleged father is the biological father.
For example, a Combined Paternity Index of 533,475, as shown in the report, means that it is 533,475 times more likely that the tested individual is the father than a random, unrelated man with a similar racial background. It’s important to note that this number will vary depending on the case and the strength of the DNA match.
Probability of Paternity: What Does 99.999% Mean?
The Probability of Paternity is a figure that reflects the likelihood of the tested individual being the biological father of the child. This probability is calculated from the Paternity Index and expressed as a percentage. In most cases, when a father is “not excluded” as the biological father, this probability is 99% or higher—often exceeding 99.999%. This is commonly referred to as a near-certain result, and the higher the percentage, the more likely the man is the biological father.
However, it’s important to note that no DNA test can offer a 100% probability of paternity. The calculation is based on statistical models, meaning there will always be a very small margin of error. That being said, a probability of 99.999% or higher is considered legally and scientifically conclusive.
Test Conclusions: Father or Not?
The Test Conclusion section of your report will clearly state one of two outcomes:
- Is not excluded as the biological father: This means that the alleged father is most likely the biological father, based on the DNA evidence.
- Is excluded as the biological father: This means that the alleged father is not the biological father, as the DNA analysis does not support paternity.
These conclusions are straightforward, and if you are unsure about their implications, the DDC team is available to provide further clarification.
Frequently Asked Questions: Addressing Common Concerns
What happens if there is a mismatch?
In some cases, there might be a mismatch between the child’s and alleged father’s DNA at a specific locus. You might wonder how this can happen if the Probability of Paternity is still over 99%. The answer often lies in the concept of genetic mutations. It is possible for a mutation to occur in one of the alleles, leading to a mismatch in the results. However, our experts take these mutations into account when calculating the final paternity probability. This means that even with a mismatch, the man can still be considered the biological father.
Can paternity test results be wrong?
Our testing process at DDC is extremely thorough. Each sample is analyzed twice by different teams to ensure there is no possibility of human error. If the test results exclude the alleged father, there is a 0% chance of him being the biological father. If the results indicate a high probability of paternity, the accuracy is nearly 100%. However, if two possible fathers are close relatives, such as brothers, additional testing may be necessary to avoid ambiguity due to the similarity in their DNA. It is important to let us know if there are two closely-related possible fathers.
Why are there no names on my report?
For at-home paternity tests, names are not included in the report. This is because the samples are provided by the customer, and we cannot independently verify the identity of the individuals submitting the samples. Each sample is instead labeled with an identifying number. In contrast, a legal paternity test, which requires court-admissible results, includes both the names of the individuals and company branding to verify the chain of custody.
Paternity Testing During Pregnancy
For expectant mothers who need paternity answers before the child is born, DDC offers a Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test. This test analyzes the baby’s DNA, which is naturally present in the mother’s bloodstream during pregnancy, and compares it to the alleged father’s DNA. While this test contains different data from a postnatal paternity test, the report is similarly structured, ensuring results are accurate and easy to interpret.
About DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC)
DNA Diagnostic Center is the world leader in paternity and relationship testing. Our services are trusted by healthcare professionals, government agencies, and individuals globally. With over one million paternity tests conducted annually, DDC is committed to providing reliable, accurate, and confidential testing services.
Whether you’re looking for personal answers or need legal proof of paternity, DDC offers expert guidance and support every step of the way. Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to call us, we’re here to help.
Ive called both the DDC and Any Lab Test Now just to go over the results, and they’ve referred me to each other. I just have a few questions about the results I received on a prenatal paternity test, through Any Lab Test Now. I gave my cheek swab sample on 3/1, and the mother blood draw was on 3/2. She saw the same kit, everything was well labeled with our names and signatures. We received the email results from Any Lab Test Now on 3/10. It was 0.00%, excluded. 1540 SNP, 2304 tested loci. These are the results that I wanted, but I’m a bit paranoid. Do I have any reason to think these results are inaccurate? Are these acceptable testing numbers? And an acceptable timeline? Thank you for your help.
Hi, J. Those are acceptable testing numbers and an acceptable timeline, based on the information you provided. If you are sure it was your DNA that was submitted for testing, then you can be sure the result is accurate.
What does >99.9% mean? Is he the father Or not the father? It had a negative sign in front of it
Hi, Sarina. That’s a “greater than” symbol. So the man tested is considered the biological father with a “greater than” 99.9% probability.
If the test came back with no percent and says”can not be excluded, probabilty he could be the father” and 830 million of probability of being the father. Me and the kid are blood cousins. What does this mean? It was a paternity test but the lab was not notified that the mother and legit father were blood related. does that mean I’m the father?
Hi, B. Your report should have also included a probability of paternity percentage such as 99.9%. Is that correct?
Hi. I submitted dna for a prenatal paternity test with the alleged father for our peace of mind and it determined paternity inclusion. I submitted the child’s mouth swab after he was born and it returned a 100% inclusion. Could there be any factors, such as breastmilk contamination, that could have triggered the wrong result in the postnatal test?
I meant to say 100% EXCLUSION, not inclusion. It listed the alleged father at 0% probability.
Hi, Bree. Breast milk can only contaminate the sample; it cannot change the DNA data itself. If you were issued a results for the postnatal, then breast-milk contamination was not a problem. What may have happened is that different DNA was submitted for the alleged father for the postnatal test. I suggest contacting the lab where you tested and hopefully they can do a case review. If you tested with DDC, then we definitely can.
Hi I took the perternity test with my father’s brother and mistakenly we didn’t mention that he was not my father so we took the test and the came out with 55 percent match result, so could this mean his brother could be my biological father?
Hello, Karabelo. That result shouldn’t be used as proof of a biological relationship, no. The samples were analyzed for paternity only.
Can I take a picture of them and send it to you because I totally do not understand what they really mean.
And on the other hand can they conclude that they could be my parternal family? Because I looked at the perternity results on this page, and I realized that it is 99.999 percent and those results are a bit similar to mine not exactly though. Because mine will match exactly 11 x and y with the same results and others just match with only one so I don’t know why I got this feeling that they were misinterpreted to us by that company.
My test came back 0% probability but what does the missing numbers in the alleged father’s column means?
Hi, Sanofa. There are two numbers (alleles) for each participant at each genetic location. For example: 11, 12. If the alleles are the same for a participant at a genetic location (for example: 11,11), then the report only shows the number once, as a single 11. This doesn’t just happen with an alleged father’s data, as it did in your case; it can happen with any test participant.
I had a test done a while ago, in lab, for both my daughters. On one results page, they had tested 16 markers, but for my other daughter, they tested 18. Why were more markers tested for one than the other? This has made me concerned
Hi, Lana. Chances are good that the lab just needed to test a few additional markers for daughter #2 in order to obtain conclusive results. This is not an unusual practice at all.
How much is an individual paternity test?
Hi! We do not list pricing in blog comments, since pricing could eventually change over time. For details about pricing, call us at 800-681-7162 (M-F, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern) if you are in the U.S.A, or email [email protected] if you live outside the U.S.
I am the mom of fraternal twin girls. We DNA tested the bio dad. He is 99.999% the father to both. One is combined index of 2,838,850 and the other is 3,126,077. They want to know if there is a way, from their results, to know if one has more genetic traits with bio dad than the other.
Hi, Stacy. This type of test uses non-coding DNA only, which is unrelated to traits.
Ok my test came back 99.999999999996 am I the father
Jalil, you are considered the biological father with a 99.9%+ probability. Those are conclusive results, yes.
What does it mean when it says the likelihood that the alleged relative is not the biological father. It said the probability of relatedness id 0.02%.
Hi, Bee. I would ask questions from the lab where you tested. For paternity testing, results are generally given as 99.9%+ or 0% probability.
my boyfriend took a dna test with his son and it came back he is the father, but they only matched on one thing which is dsy391. The kid looks nothing like him and has a different blood type than either parent.
Hi, Alice. Is it possible you’re misinterpreting results? I suggest you contact the lab where you tested and ask questions.
I only received a screenshot of my daughters test results from her father. The match ups on the left side are “234,781” but states probability of paternity “0.0”. I don’t trust that this picture sent to me was not altered. How could the probability be “0.0” if there are 234,781 matches? Thank you for your time.
From what you describe, the report has been tampered with.
II had a grandparent and grandchild paternity test it say inconclusive but the likelihood of grand maternity is 9.95 to 1 please advise chance of relationships.
Hello, Annette. Inconclusiveness can often be overcome by including the mother of the child in testing. If that’s possible, that would be best.