What a DNA Paternity Test Can and Can’t Tell You

by HOMEDNA on 06/21/2021

When you order a DNA paternity test, what do you expect it to tell you? DNA paternity testing has become so mainstream, and the technology is now so advanced, that some people may expect results to show not only the paternity results, but also specific details and characteristics about each participant. In truth, the reality of what you learn is somewhere in between. Here’s a quick primer on what a DNA paternity test can – and can’t – tell you.

 What a DNA Paternity Test CAN Tell You

 Whether or not a possible father is considered the biological father

This is the whole purpose of using DNA as a testing method for paternity, and it’s by far the most reliable and cost-effective way to determine whether or not a possible father is the biological father. Positive results typically give a probability of paternity of 99.99% (or higher!), and negative results are always 0%. There’s no room for doubt with results like these. When a child’s DNA is tested directly with the possible father’s DNA, a definitive determination one way or the other is almost always the outcome. If you need help analyzing results, our experts are there to help.

A participant’s sex

One of the things checked during a DNA paternity test is whether or not the participant is male or female. This is extremely helpful for a variety of reasons. For example, let’s say someone who orders a test is trying to determine the paternity of their son. When samples are tested, if a technician determines the DNA is from a female instead of a male, the lab can contact the person who ordered a test and ask for a clarification of who the sample belongs to or ask for a sample recollection, if needed. Sometimes DNA gets mislabeled by a client or even contaminated, and so determining a participant’s sex during the testing process is an essential step.

 What a DNA Paternity Test CAN’T Tell You

If a possible father has sent in his buddy’s DNA instead of his own

When you use an AABB-accredited lab like DDC (parent company of HomeDNA Paternity), DNA paternity test results are guaranteed accurate, based on the samples the lab is given. So if a possible father swabs his friend’s cheek for DNA and sends it in under the possible father’s name, the lab assumes on good faith that it is really him and will give report results accordingly. To prevent this kind of fraud, participants (possible father, mother, child) can all collect DNA samples in the same room and send them in together or pay a little extra for a court-admissible legal paternity test, where all collections and submissions are supervised by an impartial third-party.

A participant’s age

Sometimes if there are two possible fathers and those fathers are biologically-related, people think a paternity test can determine which one is the father based on the ‘age’ of the ‘real father’s’ DNA. The truth is it’s not that simple. The only way to determine someone’s age based on their DNA would be to compare a sample taken at birth with a current sample (The Tech). And even that would be an educated guess.

Who the biological father is, if the two possible fathers are identical twins

Identical twins are unique in the population in that they have almost exactly the same DNA. There are 15 genetic markers used for a ‘regular’ test. In order to determine which identical twin is the father, the entire genome sequence for both men would have to be analyzed. This can add up to as many as six billion markers! This makes paternity testing practically impossible and definitely impractical (from a cost perspective) for most people.

If you are the grandparent (or aunt, uncle, brother, sister, cousin, etc.) 

The HomeDNA Paternity home kit is designed for determining the relationship between a potential father and child, which is why the testing fee figures prominently on the box. A paternity test for this price must include the potential father’s samples. If you are trying to connect the dots and determine paternity without the father, you can still use the swabs in the kit to collect DNA from biological family members. Keep in mind, however, that you now are no longer doing a paternity test: you are doing “family reconstruction” testing. This involves testing family members with the child in question to determine a biological relationship and requires much more extensive analysis. For this reason, pricing starts at $399. To see what your options are, we highly recommend you contact us for more information about paternity testing without the father.

>> LEARN MORE ABOUT FAMILY RECONSTRUCTION TESTING

 The Bottom Line

There’s nothing more accurate or cost-effective than a DNA test to determine paternity. It’s just essential to keep in mind that results for this type of test are very specific in their intent: They are designed to tell you whether or not a possible father has a biological relationship with the child in question. Period. If you have other questions that could be answered via DNA, such as whether you are the grandparent, then other types of testing might be the best choice for you.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you have questions about paternity tests or other DNA testing services, please contact our  Client Support Center at 888-404-4363, Mon-Fri  from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time. Our friendly, expert representatives are ready and happy to help. Get answers anytime by visiting our Help Center.

 Resources

 “Understanding Genetics.” Understanding Genetics. The Tech Museum of Innovation, 29 Apr. 2004. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask8>.”What Is a Prenatal Paternity Test?” – Health Questions. Gov.UK, 28 July 2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. <http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/what-is-a-prenatal-paternity-test.aspx?CategoryID=61&SubCategoryID=615>.

Possible DNA Sample Contamination

6 Surprising Ways Paternity Test Samples Get Contaminated

by HOMEDNA on 06/07/2021

“Uh oh. Did I mess up my Paternity Test?”

Getting a paternity test today is much simpler and more affordable than ever, thanks to top-quality, home kits you can purchase easily and affordably at your local retailer. Because answers have a critical impact on a child’s and family’s lives, it’s important that you choose a highly-accredited DNA laboratory to perform the testing. When a paternity test is ordered, you and the lab form a partnership, and each party has a responsibility to ensure DNA samples are handled properly. 

As a participant in the test, your job is to make sure samples arrive at the lab in good condition. To get samples, participants collect DNA with cheek swabs. It’s painless and fast, and the process itself isn’t hard at all, but you have to do it with care to maintain the integrity of the DNA.  Here are five surprising ways paternity test samples can get contaminated.

Paternity Test Problem #1: Eating, Drinking, Smoking, etc.

Avoid putting anything in your mouth for at least an hour prior to collecting cheek-cell samples. Foreign particles from food, liquids, toothpaste and tobacco byproducts don’t alter the DNA but they can mask it. The consequence is that the sample becomes degraded and therefore unusable for paternity testing. Even babies being tested shouldn’t nurse or have a bottle prior to testing.

The good news: This mistake doesn’t adversely affect your results because the lab always catches this problem and suspends testing immediately. You’ll simply be asked to do a re-collection at no charge, and then testing can resume.

The bad news: You have to wait longer for your results due to the need for re-collection.

How to prevent it: Follow this guideline precisely. If a participant eats or drinks within the hour before collection, simply wait a little longer before testing.

Paternity Test Problem #2: Spitting on Swabs Instead of Swabbing Cheek Cells

With the new popularity of some ancestry tests, it’s easy for paternity customers to get confused between collecting cheek cells and collecting spit, or saliva. The two types of samples are definitely not interchangeable.  Robots for relationship testing are designed to extract DNA from cheek cells, and cheek cells provide a more concentrated amount of high-quality DNA.

The good news: There is a chance that the robots and laboratory technicians might still be able to extract DNA for testing.

The bad news: If the samples are contaminated or if the lab is unable to extract enough DNA, you  have to wait longer for your results due to the need for re-collection.

How to prevent it: Read directions very carefully and be sure to collect cells from the inside of the cheeks only, avoiding the gum areas as much as possible. And do not spit on the swabs!

Paternity Test Problem #3: Cross-contamination

When you’re handling swabs, it’s critical to maintain the integrity of each swab from start to finish. What does that mean?

Be sure not to:

  • Handle the tips of the swab, especially if you are swabbing someone else
  • Drop the swab
  • Accidentally put swabs from two different people in the same envelope

The good news: These kinds of mistakes are caught at the lab level and won’t affect your results.

The bad news: You may have to wait longer for your results if re-collection is necessary.

How to prevent it: Handle swabs with care and be sure to use separate sample envelopes for each participant.

Paternity Test Problem #4:  Some Medical Procedures

The following scenarios can definitely have an effect on paternity testing results:

  •  A participant has recently had a blood transfusion
  • A participant has ever had a bone marrow transplant

In both  scenarios, someone else’s DNA has been introduced into a participant’s body and can remain there, either temporarily or for long periods of time. When the paternity testing sample DNA from that participant is amplified in the lab, technicians may see two separate profiles from that one individual.

The good news: Even if you or another participant has had one of these procedures, it is still possible to get conclusive results.

The bad news: It may not be possible to get conclusive results.

How to prevent it: You can’t change the medical procedure you’ve had, of course, but you can let the lab know about it in the submission form. This way, if the lab determines the medical history may be affecting results, you can be notified. 

Paternity Test Problem #5: Re-using Packaging

Buccal (cheek) swabs are specially-created for DNA collection and they come sealed in plastic packaging to keep them sterile. While this packaging is perfect for unused buccal swabs, it causes problems for swabs once they’ve been used to collect DNA. Here’s why:

A DNA sample contains cheek cells which are inevitably mixed with some saliva. When you put a wet swab back in the plastic packaging, the sample can no longer ‘breathe,’ and mold nearly immediately starts growing. This mold can degrade or destroy the DNA on the swab so much that the DNA can’t be extracted and tested.

The good news: The lab will catch this problem and ask for re-collection, so it won’t affect your results.

The bad news: You have to wait longer for your results due to the need for re-collection.

How to prevent it: As you collect samples, be sure to place swabs in the paper envelopes provided as noted in the kit instructions, and not back in the plastic packaging. Easy!

Paternity Test Problem #6: Mailing Wet Envelopes

As mentioned earlier, the swabs pick up cheek cells, but also some saliva too. As a result, it’s not unusual for the paper envelopes containing samples to get a little wet. If envelopes are mailed while still damp, they can rip while en route to the lab. This contaminates all samples, unfortunately.

 The good news: DNA samples can be collected again using new materials.

The bad news: You have to wait longer for your results.

How to prevent it: It’s best to air-dry swabs as much as possible by holding them by the handles for a little while before placing them in the paper envelopes. But if an envelope gets a little wet anyway, just lay it on a clean counter and allow to air-dry at room temperature before mailing.

The Bottom Line

Our customers often reach out to us after their results are issued and ask, “The swabs were wet and I put them in the envelope anyway. Did that affect results?” Or, “My baby breastfed right before I swabbed him. Could that change the results?” No worries! Contaminated samples cannot “change” results, because the lab always catches the problem and asks for new samples before results are issued. But it is an inconvenience to you because you have to wait longer to get results. Be sure to carefully follow all instructions that come with your paternity testing kit. This prevents any hold-ups in the process and helps you get your results as soon as possible.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you have questions about paternity tests or other DNA testing services, please contact our  Client Support Center at 888-404-4363, Mon-Fri  from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time. Our friendly, expert representatives are ready and happy to help. Get answers anytime by visiting our Help Center. 

paternity fraud

Paternity Fraud: Answers to your Questions

by HOMEDNA on 04/12/2021

We sometimes receive inquiries from customers questioning if it’s possible for one participant in a paternity test to switch samples, either with themselves or someone else, or if they could have changed the DNA somehow by eating before collecting DNA. If this happens to you, it is considered paternity fraud, and you may not get the accurate results you are looking for. Here are some sample scenarios.

Paternity Fraud: Mom submits her DNA as the alleged father’s

One question we encountered recently was a concerned possible father who thought maybe the mother of the child could have swabbed herself in his place to force the results to show not excluded, meaning he is considered to be the biological father.

In all paternity testing cases our laboratory also includes the amelogenin gene to verify the sex of all participants. This helps to verify the alleged father being tested is male and the mother is female. We can also verify the sex of the child. This means mom could not swab herself and submit her sample as the alleged father without our laboratory experts discovering that. If this does occur we  place the paternity test on hold and contact the participants to ask them to re-swab the correct participants.

Another sign that the mother swabbed in the alleged father’s place would be the mother and father would show as identical DNA, which is not possible. This would also be a red flag and cause the paternity testing to come to a stop. When testing is suspended, participants are contacted and asked for new samples.

Paternity Fraud: Switching samples with someone else

Another question we sometimes get asked is whether the alleged father could have switched his own samples with someone else. If you purchase the home DNA collection kit for paternity testing purposes, the results you receive are not court admissible. This is because the laboratory cannot verify whose samples they have actually received. If the participants do not collect the samples together and mail them off together, there is always a risk that someone could switch their samples with someone else.

If you are in a situation where you doubt the reliability of the other person to be honest about submitting their own sample, we always recommend a legal paternity test collection. To prevent any doubt of someone committing paternity fraud, all participants should go to a third-party collection facility to have their DNA collected by an approved witness. This collector verifies ID and take photos of each participant. The collector then sends the samples to the lab for testing to establish a chain-of-custody to verify samples could not have been tampered with.

Paternity Fraud: Eating or drinking before DNA collection

Another question we get is whether someone can alter their DNA by eating or drinking something before they swab their mouth. The answer is no. You cannot alter your DNA by putting anything in your mouth. If you have had a bone marrow transplant recently, that affect results. Anything like that should be discussed with the facility doing the paternity testing.

We do ask that you don’t eat or drink anything for about an hour before collecting the DNA samples, to keep food or anything else off the swabs. Eating or drinking before the collection can cause remnants to get on the swab with the DNA. The worst this will do is create a situation where we can’t get a profile at all. If a profile is obtained, then the food or drink did nothing. If we can’t get a profile, we ask for a recollection at no charge.

Read more about DNA test fraud situations and other paternity test questions.

The Bottom Line

When doing an at-home paternity test for peace-of-mind purposes, we highly recommend that all participants watch each other collect DNA samples, put them in envelopes, and then go together to the post office to drop them off. If that’s not possible or if you suspect that one of the participants may want to commit a fraudulent act, then do the wise thing: Pay a little extra for a legal paternity test from our parent company, DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) and have the whole process supervised by an approved witness. Results are  court-admissible too!

Buy a home paternity test kit

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you have questions about paternity tests or other DNA testing services, please contact our  Client Support Center at 888-404-4363, Mon-Fri  from 8:30 AM to 5:30PM Eastern Time. Our friendly, expert representatives are ready and happy to help. Get answers anytime by visiting our Help Center. 

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HomeDNA Paternity
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Fairfield, OH 45014

1.888.404.4363

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DDC, parent company of HomeDNA, is one of the most highly-accredited and recommended DNA paternity-test labs in the world. See our DNA Testing laboratory accreditations.

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