Normal paternity tests require one to sweat it out in uncertainty until after the child is born. A brand-new technology may be taking the guessing game out of who the father is prior to birth now. PTC Labs is now distributing the new test and they have multiple labs in Texas, including San Antonio, as well as other parts of the United States.
This paternity test is noninvasive and has been 12 years in the making. Originally created in order to check for genetic disorders pre-birth, the designer applied his process to paternity testing as well through the use of the fetus’s DNA found in the mother’s blood. Within their blood, mothers contain what scientists label “free-floating” DNA from their baby which the test analyzes in conjunction with DNA samples from both the mother and potential father.
Since this test can determine paternity pre-birth it presents many psychological benefits on top of the scientific ones. For the mother and potential father to know for certain who the father is may provide great relief to the parties involved. It essentially has the potential to eliminate months and months of worrying and ‘what if’ scenarios. It also can help to establish early on who will be responsible for child support, thus relieving the mother of one more added stress.
On the downside, since it is a relatively new technology, the cost is exponentially more than a traditional paternity test. However, the developers believe that the importance placed on peace of mind and knowing will not diminish demand.
If you are unsure about paternity, either your own or another’s, or you are a mother seeking to know who the father is, a family law attorney may be able to help you in determining the legal options available to you for both your immediate needs and future ones.
Source: Columbia Tribune, “Lab works with cutting-edge paternity test,” Jacob Barker, Dec. 4, 2012
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