The DNA paternity test is an almost accurate way (over 99%) of determining whether a particular man is the true father of another individual. The body samples that are usually collected for testing are blood and a cheek swab.

Paternity tests may be required for various purposes including inheritance rights, identification of genetic diseases, adoption, benefits, immigration, child support and child custody. Furthermore, several methods may be used to determine the paternity, some of which are invasive, such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling. Others, such as noninvasive prenatal paternity test (NIPP) are noninvasive. Furthermore, paternity tests can be done prenatal (during pregnancy) as well as postnatal (after childbirth).

Paternity tests may be carried out in medical settings, especially if they’re required for legal reasons. Due to recent advancements in technology, there are easier ways to get paternity tests done. This includes the birth of organizations such as Health Street, where you can book an appointment for the test on their website. These organizations can also acquire legal backings for the test.

The easiest ways to get a paternity test done include:

DIY Home Test Kits

A viable option is to purchase DNA test kits that can be used at home from drugstores or online stores, however, their results may not be as accurate as those performed in medical institutions. Moreover, the results from DNA test kits are not acceptable in legal cases because the identities of the participants are not verified by a third party.

The advantage of this method is that it is not as expensive as others, and samples can be readily collected from the comfort of your home.

Legally-Valid Laboratory Test

If you have a legal case that involves presenting proof of paternity, you don’t have to hire a lawyer or go through the court system by yourself. There are accredited labs, whereby you can get the test done, these institutions make the necessary legal arrangements in your stead. Be it immigration, inheritance rights, child support or child custody, the paternity results from accredited labs will be accepted in the court of law.

This process is cost-effective and secure, however, there may be extra charges for the witnessed DNA collection service. Furthermore, since you’re dealing directly with the lab, the process is also fast.

Court-Ordered Paternity Test

If you prefer leaving the process up to the court, then you can hire an attorney to take care of the process by setting up your case in court. The court, in turn, will order a court-approved paternity test to be done on your behalf.

A major advantage of this method is that the court takes care of contacting a laboratory and in some cases, you won’t have to pay for the test. For instance, there is a disagreement between a woman and her ex-lover regarding the paternity of a child, and the woman is trying to prove that the man is her child’s father. If the test result comes out positive and her ex-lover is indeed the father of the child, then she won’t have to pay for the test even though she’s the one who brought the case to court. In this case, the man will foot the bill for the test.

The disadvantage of this method is that you cannot directly contact the lab as all questions and queries must be directed to the court. Also, it may take longer than the other methods since the court determines the schedule.