8 Reasons to a DNA Paternity Test
Paternity testing is a study of DNA regions of individuals in order to learn whether relationships exist between them. It is known that a child’s DNA is made of of exactly equal portions of the mother’s and father’s genetic material. So any DNA characteristics of the child that are not also found in the mother must be received from the father’s DNA. The goal is to establish paternity, but there may be any of several reasons for the need to do so.
Prove You’re the Father
Either the mother or assumed father can be anxious to establish paternity for a child. If the mother wants to nail a man for child support during divorce proceedings, she’s certainly interested in the outcome of the DNA testing. It could mean the difference between a financial settlement and barely scraping by after the divorce. The man in this instance may be fully prepared to support the child but is demanding custody. Mothers have been known to claim that the child has another father due to an affair with someone else in order to prevent the father from gaining custody.
Prove You’re NOT the Father
It’s certainly more common for the man in question to believe that the mother is trying to set him up for any of several reasons–most commonly financial. In the days before readily available DNA testing, many a young man ended up in a marriage when the woman claimed she was pregnant by a wealthy or popular man.
Medical Reasons
In doing genetic counseling or blood typing, it may be helpful or necessary to find out the individual’s father. For example, if an individual is looking for an organ donor, and a parent is a good possibility, paternity testing is a likelihood.
Financial Issues
Financial issues often end up being the reason for beginning the DNA testing process. Child support is common. The parents determining who will take the responsibility of paying for the child’s health, welfare and financial needs want proof that the child is sired by the presumed father. For a single mother, a government entity may go after the named father of a child in order to collect child support.
Determine If a Crime Has Been Committed
If a crime is claimed, the DNA test may be used in order to determine if the accused is the one responsible for the illegal act.
Rape
Establishing the paternity of a child born following an incident of rape on a woman may be important for both the woman and for her husband or partner. In fact, the decision for abortion may be easier if the pregnancy is found to be the result of a rape.
Settling the Estate
In more than one instance, a wealthy man who dies may be found to have many more heirs than was realized. Sometimes the claimants are legitimate and can prove that Daddy was wealthy. At other times, it is a simple grab for money or fame by the claimant.
Twins
Genetic testing of the DNA can help to determine if twins are identical or fraternal. This can be important in cases of blood transfusions or organ donation. It can also make a difference in the possibility of a genetic disease or condition.
