Paternity Testing Archives - Page 60 of 68

Paternity Drama Around the Globe

by HOMEDNA on 02/20/2009

Recently in the news, drama erupted over the possibility of a 13-year-old being the father of an adult woman’s child. Days after the story broke, additional alleged fathers claimed paternity.

Sadly, stories like these are not completely uncommon. Minor children are having their own children all the time. It may be a commentary on society or how we are raising our children, but a story like this with all of its publicity may be the catalyst for starting a very important conversation.

In other paternity news, a famous singer was arrested for neglecting to pay a little over $10, 0000 in unpaid child support. While the report does not mention it, no doubt DNA Paternity Testing was preformed to ensure he was in fact the father of this child. No doubt there are other mothers out there who would love to see their exes go to jail for unpaid child support. So why does a famous singer’s neglect get attention while other fathers who are in arrears don’t? It may simply be that the courts believe Campbell may be able to pay this amount and so it was worth pursuing.

Paternity Tests and Real Life

by HOMEDNA on 01/12/2009

Working for a company that does paternity testing, you can imagine the sensational shows that spotlight paternity tests often come up. We have all seen those episodes where they bring a woman on stage and she is absolutely sure that one of two men is the father of her child. When the results are revealed that neither is the father, the men begin to dance, the woman begins to cry and the crowd cheers as if they were at the circus.

At first, there is the tendency by many people to join the mob and participate in the amusement of the whole scene. But when we take a second and step back and look at the situation as a whole, we realize that these are peoples’ lives that we are talking about and that the results of the test are so much more than a cheap way to entertain a crowd.

Over the years, I have witnessed a lot of stories about people using paternity testing, sibling testing and other forms of DNA testing to find out who they are and who they are or are not related to. Entertaining a crowd is not usually on the list of reasons why someone wants to take a test.

Most often, the reasons for getting the test revolve around target peace of mind and knowing the truth. And the interesting thing about knowing the truth is that it helps people make decisions. Once they have the facts, people are able to make a decision that affects the rest of their lives. That decision may be to connect with the father they never knew, to meet the siblings they didn’t know they had, to continue school now that they know the baby isn’t theirs, or to continue paying child support even after finding out they are NOT the biological father because they care about the child.

Knowing the truth always seems to make those decisions easier.

Unusual Questions about Paternity Testing

by HOMEDNA on 01/08/2009

DNA is a difficult topic to understand for many. As one of the top DNA testing labs in the world, here are a few of the more unusual questions we’ve fielded along with their answers.

Question: “If I send you my DNA and a copy of my birth certificate can you tell me if that is really where I was born?”Answer: Unfortunately, your DNA does not contain any information about your birthplace.

Question: “Can you tell if someone does drugs by testing their DNA?”Answer:No, we cannot. This is a more common question than you might expect. We cannot detect alcohol use or abuse in your DNA either.

Question: “I was sick with the flu when I swabbed. Will this change my results?”Answer: No, your DNA is not affected by virus or bacteria. It is also not impacted by cancer, HIV, or other diseases.

Question: “How old do you have to be to test your DNA?”Answer: You can test an unborn child’s DNA by sampling the amniotic fluid of the mother. Meaning, there is no age limit. You can test a child right after he/she is born. Your DNA is the same from the time of conception until you die.

Question: “Is it possible that my DNA is the Da Vinci Code?”

DNA is a subject that is not always easy to understand. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about it as comments on this blog.

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