Hapy outcomes from DNA paternity testing

DNA QLD has had some happy outcomes this week. An adopted child has found their biological father and a father and son were united . The father was not aware of the existance of his son who lived overseas , and consequently they were reunited . The son aged 45 made contact with a father he did not know existed. The adopted child now has an extended family .

DNA QLD interpreting a paternity result

People think that a DNA paternity test will give a “yes” or “no” answer. The truth is that it is slightly a bit more complicated than that. In the vast majority of tests, either an “inclusion” or “exclusion” result will be reported.
What an Inclusion Means:
An inclusion is reported with a probability of paternity (POP) of 99% or more and a match is found at all genetic markers tested. In an inclusion report, it is stated that the alleged father “cannot be excluded” as being the biological father of the tested child. These three words often create a lot of confusion. This wording is used since an inclusion can not ever be reported at 100%. However, the combined paternity index (CPI) should also be looked at, as it can help to make the results more understandable. First though, it should be understood that the bare minimum for reporting an inclusion result is with a POP of 99% and a CPI of 100 (alleged father and child only) or 500 (alleged father, child and mother). Since our laboratory utilizes an advanced analysis of sixteen genetic markers as a standard, we normally see POPs and CPIs far exceed the minimum requirement. So, when the CPI is say, 100,000, it can be interpreted as a 1 in 100,000 (of the defined male racial population) certainty that the alleged father is the biological father of the tested child.
What an Exclusion Means:
An exclusion is reported with a POP of 0.00%. In an exclusion result, it will be seen that at at least two genetic markers, there is a non-match. In an exclusion report, it is stated that the alleged father “was excluded” as being the biological father of the tested child. When an exclusion is reported, a second, independent test will be performed to confirm that the exclusion can be duplicated.
Other Possibilities:
Another possible result may be an inclusion with a mutation. In most cases, an inclusion result means that at all tested genetic markers, a match is found. However, sometimes an inclusion can be reported when all but one marker has a match (or, in rare cases, two). Known mutations have a specific frequency in various racial populations and, often, that frequency is low. So, when the mutation frequency is figured into the formula for calculating the POP, it can possibly cause the POP to fall below 99%. To confirm mutations, it is always recommended that the mother test, if she has not already, or to perform extended testing of additional markers.

DNA testing of newborns at DNA QLD

DNA QLD is helping an increasing number of new parents with confirmning the paternity of their new born baby. The resons are varied; women proving their partner's paternity, men unsure if they are the father, grandparents wishing to confirm if they are related to a new baby, and men unsure if they should put their name on a birth certificate.

Paternity can be determined by taking a mouth swab from a newborn on the day of birth. Samples at DNA QLD are processed within 2 working days and then once relationships are confirmed, bonding with the new baby can occur. We believe it is better to sort out any uncertainty about parenthood as soon as possible. This is in the best interests of mother , father and most importantly the baby.

DNA Paternity information

Before you can understand the importance of paternity testing, you must first understand the DNA element involved and why DNA is used to establish paternity. DNA is the pattern for your genetic makeup. Each and every person has a different pattern of DNA. However, persons belonging to certain ethnic backgrounds, certain races, or simply certain features, can have DNA that shows related characteristics. No two people, except for identical twins will have the same DNA.

Every person has 46 chromosomes in each cell. The only exceptions are the sperm and egg cells. They each have 23. At the moment of conception, however, the 23 chromosome from the sperm and egg combine to form 46, and at that moment, you have the chromosomes needed to create a new person. This pattern for your genetic makeup is a combination of maternal DNA and paternal DNA. In other words, half your makeup is your mother’s and half is your father’s. Now, since the mother would be the person giving birth, there is no dispute about maternal proof. She was there at birth. But what about paternal proof? How do you determine the identity of the father, without a shred of doubt?

Enter DNA paternity testing. DNA testing works in the following way. The DNA of the child is tested. A test strip of DNA “bands” is established. The DNA is then tested from the alleged father. If the child and the man share common “bands” in a number of different locations, then paternity is established with 99.9999 percent accuracy. That is as accurate as the results can be.

This is a seemingly simple test, to have such a staggering effect on the people’s lives that are involved. Entire families have been ripped apart over paternity issues. However,other lives have been repaired and reunited and this is the most common scenario. Lives have been forever changed, thanks to one little DNA test.

Today, paternity testing is utilized to decide custody cases, establish legitimate child support cases, influence adoption proceedings, and to aid in claiming inheritance by providing proof of relationship. By far, however, the largest use of DNA testing is in determining paternity issues. Most courts accept 99.99 percent positive as equal to a result of 100%.

There are tests available that can be used at home, but in the case of a legal battle, or establishing legal paternity, only the tests conducted by certified and licensed facilities will be allowed.

Call DNA QLD and the staff can explain the difference between the types of test and facilitate the collection for you .

Reference: http://www.articledashboard.com

Paternity testing is easy

DNA can be effectively collected using a painless buccal swab. This involves using a cotton swab to collect cells from the inside of the cheek of the people being tested. There's no blood samples anymore! The cotton swabs are packaged and sent to the lab to be examined,and are analyzed for a DNA match. The entire process is easy, quick, and pain-free. Worrying about the test being painful or uncomfortable is no longer a good excuse for not finding out whether or not you are the father of a child!

Despite the ease and speed of the process of a paternity test you still need to prepare yourself for emotional repercussions. It is a physically pain-free process however it could have an emotional impact on your life. If your partner is not expecting you to ask for a paternity test it could cause stress within your relationship as your partner may take your request as a direct accusation of infidelity. Even worse, finding out you are not the father of a child you believed to be yours can make you question your relationship with the child and leave you unsure of your next step. However, even with all of these possible emotional outcomes a DNA test is still the right choice if you are questioning your biological relationship with a child. Otherwise you are doing you and your child a disservice! You will always wonder whether or not they are really yours, which can even translate into resentment in your relationship with your child. The earlier you take the test the more you can restrict the negative results that come from an unexpected result.

Knowing how easy and pain-free DNA paternity testing is makes this decision much easier. When you make the choice to get a paternity test you can be confident that the test will go smoothly and give you the answers you need.

Why have a DNA paternity test?

A pregnant woman or woman who has already given birth to a child may wonder who her baby's biological father is if she had more than one sexual partner around the time of ovulation and conception. This is not an unusual situation as some women will fall pregnant between relationships and be uncertain of the paternity of the child.
A woman may want to know who the biological father is for more than just her peace of mind. Knowing who the biological father is will protect the child's rights. It will provide a medical history for the child ensuring the doctor to better manage the child's health. Knowing who the biological father is will also allow access to legal and social benefits including Child Support payments. If the biological father wants to actively participate in his child's life, it will also help to strengthen the father/child bond.
A woman's extended family may want to bond with the child, but have some uncertainity if they are not sure if the child is related to them.

Prenatal paternity test

When can you have a prenatal test?



Some women may wish to confirm the paternity of a child before it is born.

Some women may have had multiple partners in the month of conception and want to know the father of the child before the child is born. Some women may wish to confirm paternity in order to make decisions about their personal relationships.



Testing must be done before 20 weeks of pregnancy. A CVS can be done at 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy and an amniocentesis at 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. There is always a slight risk of miscarrying an otherwise healthy pregnancy with either of these procedures, and DNA QLD will discuss these risks with you or you can ask your family doctor for information on prenatal testing.




As the prenatal sample collection has to be done by a doctor at a Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit, you can call DNA QLD for assistance with the location of these clinics in your state. Call DNA QLD for further details on prenatal testing in your location and to coordinate the procedure.

DNA Paternity test information for Doctors

Information for Medical Practitioners

You may be approached by patients requesting a paternity test. Paternity testing does not require a referral and patients can be directed to contact DNA QLD directly to facilitate the paternity test. DNA is collected via a buccal swab and collections can be facilitated with our alliance with over 400 pathology collection centers in Australia and at International locations.



DNA testing is often a very emotive issue. From the perspective of a medical practitioner it is sometimes very difficult where you may actively be involved in the care and management of members from both sides of the family. With this in mind we often suggest that medical practitioners allow us to implement the testing and delivering of any results. This means that confidential results will only then be held by the patient and will not be stored at any other site. It also means that doctors continue the therapeutic relationship with both sides of the family as they are neither in the loop of the testing, nor are they responsible for the delivery of any results. DNA QLD respects the confidentiality of all information associated with paternity testing. Confidential or identifying information will not be given to any individual other than the individual being tested. DNA QLD abides by the Privacy Act 1988.



Whilst there may be certain circumstances where you believe that it may be in the family’s best interest for you to be involved in this process, it is certainly one we would like to discuss with you before hand so we can be clear as to the process, particularly with respect to the reporting of results. As an addition, it must be remembered that consultations regarding paternity testing do not attract a Medicare or a Private Health Insurance rebate. DNA QLD is able to determine paternity from prenatal samples from CVS (at 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy) or amniocentesis (from 16 to 18 or at some ultrasound clinics up to 35 weeks of pregnancy) sampling. Please contact DNA QLD to inquire about this procedure.



Medical practitioners may be approached to collect samples for clients undertaking a legal paternity test. The client will supply a sealed collection kit which includes a checklist which outlines the steps for sample collection, an information sheet on how to collect the sample, and an Australia Post Satchel for the return of the swabs and completed forms to DNA QLD. If you have any questions regarding the nature of paternity testing or swab collection, please, of course, do not hesitate in contacting us on 1300 1 PATERNITY (1300 172 837)or our mobile contact listed on the DNA QLD phone message bank. Please contact our office if you would like information brochures on paternity testing forwarded to your practice.

Prenatal testing

Prenatal testing raises certain ethical questions amongst the public, as most people have their own person views on the topic. Many women requesting prenatal paternity testing at DNA QLD have unintentionally found themselves in this situation. Many women may have left one relationship and then entered another relationship shortly afterwards. If both these relationships occur in the same month, questions are raised as to the father of a child, and prenatal paternity testing can answer this question. The pregnancy can then continue, if wished, with peace of mind as to the father of the child.

Tests today

Big day of processing with 21 cases completed today. Despite paternity testing sometimes being associated with doom and gloom, 18 of these cass had paternity confirmed ie the alleged father was the biological father. This gives peace of mind to all and allows people to move on with their lives