What
is DNA Paternity Testing?
Before answering the question 'what is DNA testing'
it is important to understand the question 'what is DNA'.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material in the
cells of your body. There are 46 chromosomes in each cell
apart from those in sperm cells and egg cells, which have
only 23 chromosomes. At the moment of conception the two sets
of 23 chromosomes combine to make the 46 necessary to create
a person. Therefore a person receives half of his/her DNA
from the mother and half from the Father. No
two people will have exactly the same DNA except for identical
twins.
This feature of the way in which DNA is passed down from parents
to child, is the basis of DNA paternity testing.
DNA
paternity testing detects certain parts, of the DNA make-up
of an individual, which are known to have a high degree of
variation from one person to another. By using several DNA
tests the DNA at a number of these variable regions can be
detected and compared to see if individuals are related. DNA
testing is by far the most advanced and accurate method currently
available, for determining paternity.
The
two possible outcomes of a DNA paternity test are highlighted
below:
A DNA paternity test is highly accurate and
where paternity is not established the result is 100% absolute.
In the above example if the child does not share any DNA 'bands'
with the alleged father than the man can not be the biological
father of the child (see image on the right above.
When the DNA paternity tests shows that the
man shares 'bands' with the child at a number of different
locations the degree of certainty is between 99.9% or greater
that the alleged father is the true biological father of the
child. This positive DNA result is near proof of paternity.
Most courts in the US will accept 99.9% as being proof of
paternity.
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