Need A DNA Test? Here’s Exactly How It Works
Paternity tests are becoming more and more accessible these days. In fact, you could buy one now and send it off within minutes.
While nobody would necessarily want to find themselves in the situation to use one, they are incredibly useful and can be done without even leaving home.
For those who are needing to take one, they aren’t as complicated as you might think.
Essentially, you can answer three questions. Firstly your biological parents, whether you are the father of a child, or whether this person is your father.
Discovering this can be done in a number of ways. Most DNA testing kit reviews will tell you the methods in which you can take a paternity test, with the most common a swab test.
However, you can also use hair samples, blood samples, nail tests and even fresh sperm.
The easiest, and least intrusive is swabbing the cheek. Known as a buccal swab, the test collects skin cells from inside your cheek that hold a unique genetic profile.
Made of special material to contain the cells, the DNA sample is then sent off to the company who provided you the kit and will be tested.
The genetics of a child is built up from the profile of both parents, which can then be matched against the mother and father.
99.9999% of DNA from people are identical, it’s only that finite 0.0001% that makes us unique. To match with a mother or father, scientists look for the genetic markers that will identify the similarities and determine whether there is a match among the parent and child.
It’s actually much simpler than it sounds, with scientists splitting the cells in a method called polymerase chain reaction.
From there a DNA fingerprint is made, which is where a match can be discovered.
It’s a process that is becoming more and more accessible, although you don’t necessarily need the child to have been born before uncovering it’s parental heritage.
Prenatal Parental Test
It is also possible to take a parental test before the child has been born. This can be conducted during pregnancy using CVS or amniocentesis and again will use a swab from parents.
This is a less common method, and can only be taken from the 16th week of conception.
The best, and cheaper option, is to wait until the birth, where you can pick up a DNA testing kit online for as little as £60.
