Paternity Testing

 Posted on September 26, 2013 in Divorce

Many children are being raised in single parent homes today. Sometimes it cannot be helped because parents are in the military or they are deceased, but other times it is because the mother simply does not know who the father is. Sometimes, it is a sore subject in divorce when the woman becomes pregnant at the end of the marriage or in the divorce process because there is no longer a guarantee that the husband is the father.

Paternity testing is easier than ever, now, and should be done at the very least so that every child has two parents on his or her birth certificate.

Here are some frequently asked questions about paternity testing from the American Pregnancy Association:

 How soon can a paternity test be done after the child is conceived?

Timing for different types of tests varies, but they cannot be done any sooner than the end of the first trimester. Tests can be done as early as the ninth or  tenth week of pregnancy.

Can the exact date of contraception be determined without a paternity test?

Usually the date of contraception can be estimated according to how far along the baby’s development is, but an exact date is hard to determine. Usually, if a woman has fairly regular menstrual cycle, she ovulates on a particular day each month. That is the time frame in which women can become pregnant because the egg is available for fertilization. The exact day, though, is not usually determined.

Usually, doctors use a number of tools to estimate the contraception date. The first day of the last period (LMP), along with ultrasound measurements to determine the age of the baby are used to determine the day the baby was conceived.

It is important to know, though, that sperm can live in the body for 3-5 days after intercourse and ultrasounds may be off by up to a week, so the doctor’s word is not a guarantee.

 Are test results kept confidential?

Most paternity testing labs will keep information confidential, but you should ask just to be sure that you have not found the exception.

Are there risks to the mother and developing child involved in DNA tests?

There are no risks taken when a DNA test is conducted to a baby after birth along with any father or mother that also needs to give DNA. Testing done before birth, though, does have some risks. Although the risk is small, DNA testing in the womb does increase the chance of miscarriage.

If you are going through a separation or divorce and you also have the complication of an expected baby, contact a divorce attorney for assistance. Angel Traub and Associates can help you figure out what to do with your new child and your former spouse in Lombard, Ill. today.