Maternity Test
The reasons for needing or wanting to have a maternity test carried out are not always pleasant; some mothers suspect that their baby has been 'switched' with another infant in the maternity ward shortly after birth and others might want confirmation that it is in fact their biological baby they are carrying after having had in-vitro fertilization treatment. Otherwise, maternity tests are usually carried out for adopted children who want to confirm that they have found their biological mother. In any case, maternity tests involve a straightforward and non-intrusive procedure which give fantastically reliable results.
Like most other forms of DNA testing, the samples needed to send to the laboratory for a maternity involve a buccal mouth swab or more specifically a sterilized 'Dacron synthetic' swab. This specially designed material is used rather than a simple cotton swab because it retains the cheek cells much more effectively. With some tests these swabs can be taken in the home and sent through the post to the laboratory, unless the test results are to be used in legal proceedings, in which case they must be taken by a doctor, nurse or other medical professional. All that is necessary is for the buccal swab to be taken out of its packet, rubbed against the inside of the cheek (most tests will send two swabs for each person, for their left and right cheeks) and packaged in swab storage envelopes which ensure that they are not tampered with or contaminated by confounding DNA.
There are still some organizations and agencies which require blood samples to carry out their maternity tests, but this is a largely obsolete practice. DNA testing or 'genetic fingerprinting' is a wholly reliable and much more pleasant way for parental identification to be carried out.
Maternal tests are different to other DNA tests in one way; it is encouraged for a sample to be taken from the father as well. The purpose of this is for the staff at the laboratory to be able to eradicate the DNA from the father and concentrate on that of the mother. While the absence of a swab from the father doesn't make the maternal test any less reliable, it simply helps the staff and may enable the results to be returned faster.
Genetic testing of this kind results in 99.999% accuracy and for whichever reason it is needed or desired, it can prove to be a life changing process. This life changing procedure takes just one week to complete, is remarkably non – intrusive and often very affordable. It may be one of the least common forms of DNA testing, compared to paternity testing or siblingship tests, but that doesn't make it any less reliable or any less important.