We receive many questions about what, if anything, someone should know before embarking on paternity testing. Here are a few answers:

How do I choose a lab?

Selecting the right laboratory is one of the most important steps. You want to verify that the laboratory is accredited with the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks). AABB-accredited labs are audited on an annual basis to ensure they adhere to strict guidelines and processes, ensuring reliable results.  If the laboratory has an ISO accreditation,  the lab is authorized to do international paternity testing for immigration purposes. This is also an indicator the laboratory is held to higher standards.

Which test is the right one?

Next you want to determine which type of DNA relationship testing is right for you. There are different options for different situations, so you want to make sure you make an educated and cost-effective decision.

If the alleged father is available for testing

If the alleged father is willing to participate and submit samples, then paternity testing is what you want. The next question is, what will you be using the paternity test results for?

If you need them for legal issues such as child support, child custody, or social security, a legal paternity test (with samples collected and managed by a disinterested third party)is required in order for results to be court-admissible The lab assists you with arranging the legal DNA collection at facilities in your area. Click here to learn more about legal testing.

If you don’t need the paternity testing results for legal reasons you can select to use the IDENTIGENE Paternity Test Kit. This collection kit can be purchased at a local retail outlet in your area. The kit includes collection instructions to collect the DNA samples for all of the paternity testing participants at home. It’s easy, non-invasive, and hassle-free. Once you collect the DNA samples for the alleged father, child, and biological mother (if she is available) you simply mail the samples along with the order form, which indicates how you want your results delivered to you. You can prepay the $139 processing fee ahead of time by calling our Client Support Center. Or you can choose to include credit card info or  a money order  with the self-addressed-stamped envelope supplied in the kit. Simple.

If the alleged father is not available for testing

If the alleged father is not available for paternity testing, there are other relationship DNA tests available as alternatives. This category is called Family Reconstruction Testing. These tests include grandparent DNA testing, sibling DNA testing, aunt/uncle DNA testing, or even y-chromosome or mitochondrial comparisons. When the father is not available, it’s essential to contact the lab to ask questions . . . a lot of questions. This helps ensure you receive the best DNA test option for your unique situation. Again, with all the choices available you want to make sure you have all of the answers before moving forward. Click here to learn more about testing without the alleged father.

How do I read and understand my test results?

One last thing you may want to know is how to read the paternity test results once you receive them. Accreditation requires that paternity test results be written in very specific ways, and they may not be as straightforward as some expect. IDENTIGENE paternity test results  read in one of the following ways:

John Doe is excluded as the biological father of James Doe.

This means that John Doe cannot be the father of James Doe because the analysis shows that they do not share a paternity relationship.

John Doe is not excluded as the biological father of James Doe.

This means that John Doe is highly likely to be the father of James Doe because the analysis shows that they share a paternity relationship.

If you read your results online and they aren’t clear to you, don’t hesitate to contact IDENTIGENE for clarification.

If you have questions, call our experts in the Client Support Center at 888-404-4363, M-F from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time. And you can get answers 24/7 by visiting our online Help Center.