If it is not possible to obtain DNA from the presumed father of the child, paternity can be determined or excluded by analyzing the DNA of the father’s parents, i.e., the child's grandparents. This involves determining the familial relationship between the grandparents and the grandchild. To ensure a clear result, the sample from the child's mother should also be analyzed. If this sample is not available, the reliability of the result depends on several factors, especially the child's sex. In such cases, we recommend consulting with us by phone or in person before ordering the test.
If you order the test, we will send you the collection kit by mail (or you can pick it up in person) along with instructions. Using these instructions, all participants in the test can easily perform a simple swab of the oral mucosa in the privacy and comfort of their home. If it is not possible to perform an oral mucosa swab on any of the participants, we may attempt to obtain DNA from a non-standard sample.
You will send us the material for analysis and pay for the test. If you come to our laboratory in person, we will perform the sample collection for you.
We will perform the analysis, calculate the probability, and send the test result report to you by mail, email, or you can pick it up in person.
In this test, we analyze 15 or 19 (depending on the specific situation) segments of DNA, called STR markers, plus another segment that determines the sex of the sample. If the child's (grandchild's) mother is also tested, the biological relationship between the grandparent and grandchild will either be definitively excluded or confirmed with a probability of at least 99.9%. If the child's mother is not tested, the probability is usually at least 99%, but not always. In this case, additional DNA markers may need to be tested, depending on the child's sex and other circumstances. These additional tests may extend the test timeline and incur extra costs. If the child's mother sample is not available, the cost and timeline of the test will depend on the specific situation.
The result of an anonymous test cannot be used in court as evidence, as no one, other than the participants in the test, can be sure about the origin of the analyzed samples. However, the laboratory test itself is performed in the same way as a forensic examination, so the result must be the same.
