Yes, there is a real need for pregnancy and to know whose child it is. This need is particularly acute where the relationship between partners is complicated, where there is an affair, or where the circumstances at the time of conception are not clear. Paternity testing, often carried out during pregnancy or after birth, uses DNA testing as a means of confirming who the biological father is.
There are several methods for this type of testing:
- The Pre-Birth Paternity Test:
- DNA testing during pregnancy, using amniotic fluid testing or chorionic villus screening (CVS), is invasive and carries a risk of miscarriage. These are not easy tests to perform and are not recommended by HIRO Clinic.
- Non-invasive prenatal paternity testing (NIPPT) is also available, which analyses the baby’s DNA from the mother’s blood to identify the father. DNA is obtained from the suspected father and compared. The test can be performed from 6 weeks of pregnancy.
- Postnatal paternity tests:.
- A DNA test is performed after birth, in which cells from the baby and the suspected father’s mouth are collected and matched for DNA. This is non-invasive and risk-free.
Paternity testing can play an important role in a variety of situations, such as identifying the legal father, custody and child support issues, and intra-family inheritance issues. This type of test may also be sought because of an individual’s need for emotional stability or clarity in family relationships.
Supervisor of the article
Dr. Hiroshi Oka
Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Medical Doctor
