‘You are NOT the father!” Do you hear these words in the back of your mind when you think of paternity testing? So how would you feel if you actually do find out you are not the father? If you have been living under the same roof and raising the child in question, you probably aren’t too happy to hear this news. The same goes for responsible fathers paying child support to a child who is not biologically theirs. The deception and pain are unimaginable. Here are some quick stats:
- Several researchers peg the non-paternity rate (the percentage of men who think they are the biological father, but in reality are not) at 10% worldwide. So that means 1 in every 10 fathers is not really the biological father.
- Another interesting statistic is that 29% of the time when a man questioning paternity takes a paternity test, he will find his suspicions confirmed. This means that nearly 3 of every 10 men who have a paternity doubt are not the biological fathers.
The message here is that men who question paternity should have a paternity test. The sooner the better. After the child is born, a simple cheek swab from the infant, along with the alleged father’s cheek swab, is all that is needed to answer this important question.Here are a few of the many reasons paternity tests are important:
- Sense of identity - a child knowing to whom they are biologically linked
- Health history - hereditary factors influence preventative health measures
- Financial support - many households require two incomes to keep up with the cost of living
- Benefits - health insurance, social security and veteran benefits benefit biological children
- Government Aid - Paternity allows parents to seek government assistance if they qualify.
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Bibliography
Anderson, Kermyt G. “How Well Does Paternity Confidence Match Actual Paternity? Evidence from Worldwide Nonpaternity Rates.” JSTOR. The University of Chicago Press, 1 June 2006. Web. 26 Dec. 2011.
Susan says
Would medicine-pain pills and smoking marijuana affect the alleged fathers results?
Identigene says
Hi Susan,
We do recommend not consuming anything for 1 hour prior to DNA collection in order to reduce the chance of the swab becoming contaminated. Our lab does test for contamination upon receiving your samples. If our lab finds contamination, we will contact you and request a recollection in order to obtain a clean sample. Recollections are free or charge and we will send you the additional swabs. If a recollection is not necessary, or we do not contact you, your samples were not contaminated and testing will continue. I hope you find this information helpful. If you have any others questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our friendly client support at 1-888-404-GENE, Monday-Friday 9AM-8PM ET. Thank you for your comment!
Bette says
Imagine being the child who was raised by a father that was not her biological father and finding this out as an adult. He was the best father in my life, but it was the worst thing to find out! Now i really don’t know who I am and that part of my life is a lie!
Tammie says
My best friend is suspecting that his ex-girlfriend’s baby is his daughter. He is looking for a DNA Testing company that can assess a Paternity Test for them. I love that you mentioned that a simple cheek swab from the infant, along with the alleged father’s cheek swab, is all that is needed to confirm if he is the real father. Thanks for your tips!