Most people know that paternity tests are used to determine if a man is a child’s biological father, but you may not know how they work. Here’s everything you need to know about them.

Types of Tests

The type of paternity testing Houston TX that you need depends on your situation. If you need to determine who the biological father of a child is for legal reasons, such as custody of the child, the test will usually be performed in a medical practice. If you need a test for personal reasons, you can buy a test from a drugstore to perform at home.

How They Work

When a child is conceived, they receive half of their genetic information from their mother and half from their father. Paternity tests work by comparing the DNA, or genetic information, of the man and the child. The tests look for certain matches in the DNA sequences to determine if the man is the child’s parents.

How They are Performed

If the child has already been born, a test can be performed through a simple blood test or cheek swab. The DNA from these samples is compared to determine if they are a match.

If the child has not yet been born, there are other options for testing. A doctor can use a swab to collect tissue from the mother’s placenta to get a DNA sample. They can also collect amniotic fluid from the womb. The simplest method is to take a blood sample from the mother, as her blood will contain the child’s DNA during the first trimester of her pregnancy. These samples would also be compared to a DNA sample from the potential father.

Paternity tests work by comparing the DNA of the child and potential father to look for specific matches in their genetic sequences. The samples can be collected by drawing blood, swabbing the cheek or several in-utero methods. Paternity tests can be performed by a physician or at home.