Prenatal Paternity Testing
Prenatal Testing
In this day and age DNA testing seems as routine as filing a birth certificate. However, that is simply not true. In many cases DNA testing can be invasive and dangerous. This is particularly true in some cases of prenatal DNA testing. Before you agree, or ask someone to agree to prenatal DNA testing you need to know the ins and outs of the procedure and what options for testing exist.
If paternity of a child is in question, having a paternity test performed will provide you and the parties in question definitive answers surrounding your child's parental identity. Naturally, you can wait until your baby arrives to handle this process. However, many people do not want to wait until their baby is born to establish paternity. If you choose to have prenatal paternity testing done you can choose from three different methods of DNA collection for your unborn child including chronic villi sampling (CVS), amniocentesis, and fetal cell/DNA.
Chronic Villi Sampling (CVS)
If paternity of your child is in question either from the beginning or early on in your pregnancy you may choose to use chronic villi sampling as your DNA collection method. This type of prenatal paternity testing takes place between the 10th- 13th week of pregnancy. If you opt to use this method your doctor will need to collect a small sample of your placenta. The placenta is the membrane that surrounds a baby in-utero and it is their lifeline from conception to delivery. To collect a DNA sample using the CVS method your doctor will need to obtain a sample transcervically or transabdominally. Most experts believe the procedure is relatively safe. That said, some studies have shown a one percent rate of miscarriage with this procedure.
Amniocentesis
One of the more commonly known forms of prenatal paternity testing involves collection of DNA through a process called amniocentesis. This collection method takes place between the 14th to 24th week of pregnancy. If you choose this collection method your doctor will need to take a sample of your amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is the fluid that is found in the sac that surrounds your unborn baby. This fluid can be collected using a needle that is inserted through your abdominal wall. This procedure also carries a small level of risk with it. However, experts believe that it is safer than chronic villi sampling.Fetal Cell/DNA
Having a prenatal paternity test using fetal cell/DNA uses the safest method of collection for your unborn baby. This method of testing uses only the mother's blood and a sample from the possible father, or fathers to obtain DNA results. Unlike CVS or amniocentesis this method of DNA collection has absolutely no risk of causing injuries to your unborn child, inducing labor or causing a miscarriage. This test uses the fetal cells and DNA that are abundant in the mother's bloodstream, as a sample for prenatal paternity testing. The only requirement for this test is that you be at least 13 weeks pregnant and it is just as accurate in result as both CVS and amniocentesis.