What is a Paternity Test?
Every human being is born unique. Their "uniqueness" is seen in their fingerprints, as well as in their genes, which contain special codes, called DNA. A child's genes are inherited from both his/her biological parents. A paternity test compares a child's DNA against the DNA of an alleged father. If the alleged father is, indeed, the biological father, the father and child will have a number of matching DNA sequences in their genes. However, if there are no matches at all, we can say with certainty that the alleged father CANNOT be the biological father of the child in question.


How is the Test Performed?
Until recently, in order to perform a paternity test, we had to collect a blood sample from the parties being tested. This was difficult, especially since the testing often involved small children. Today, we are able to collect a DNA sample from a simple, painless, non-invasive cheek swab. We take a swab, which is similar to a Q-tip, but slightly longer, and we rub it against the inside of the cheek. The tiny tissue from the cheek that rubs onto the swab contains more than enough cells to perform the paternity test. This test is as accurate, if not more accurate than the blood test, and makes it much simpler for all parties involved.