As some of our Oklahoma readers may be familiar with, paternity testing can be a tough situation to deal with once a baby is born. To avoid such a heavy situation once a child is born, mothers can opt to have a prenatal paternity test taken. In the past, this procedure is one that is seen as extremely invasive and carries the risk of miscarriage.
Recently, a new, noninvasive type of prenatal paternity test has been introduced. The old form of testing use to involved inserting a needle into the amniotic sac and was mostly only used for testing for chromosomal abnormalities. This new procedure requires only a blood draw from the mother and a cheek swab from the (potential) father.
This procedure may costs as much as three times more than the other method, the results can arrive in as little as one week. In a study done regarding this particular test’s accuracy, out of 30 cases, the test correctly identified the father 100 percent of the time.
This new type of testing is especially interesting in that if it gains legal credibility, the possibilities of child support before birth could be something courts look into. Establishing the child’s father early on could help him and his family to support the mother emotionally as well, which could possibly lead to healthier babies.
This new technology is something prosecutors may be able to use in rape cases as well. Women who have become pregnant as a result of rape will now be able to know before the child is born if the father of the fetus is or is not her attacker.
While most of these tests are processed outside of your local lab, it is becoming a test more and more doctors are performing.