To get a little personal, I had only been married for about 2 years and was 24 years old when I became pregnant (not planned). I quickly embraced my little growing bundle of joy and I thought my husband was “jogging along” right beside me. After I delivered my sweet baby girl, my husband asked the nurse, “What is her blood type?” It was B and he knew mine was O. He then mused, “I wonder what mine is?” The nurse quickly replied, “Well you better hope it’s B”. At the time, I laughed at his innocence but now when I look back, I think of what an awkward moment that would have been if there was a reason to question paternity.

Doctors we have spoken with at professional conferences say that they frequently hear this question after delivery. They interpret it as “possible paternity doubt”. In our business, we know that paternity doubts are real and according to our last survey, 1 in 10 Americans question paternity.

Blood type is a very important thing to know for many reasons aside from paternity questions. Most importantly, donating blood saves lives. If you are lucky enough to be O-, you have a universal blood type and can donate to any other blood type. AB blood types are universal donors of plasma, which is often used in pediatric emergencies. You can find out more about donating blood at http://www.redcrossblood.org/

Also, here’s a simple genetic flowchart that illustrates possible blood types and combinations passed down from biological parents to their children. http://bloodbook.com/inherited.html

Now how in the world does this relate to DNA? Well, it might be because I work for Identigene and I have become obsessed with DNA! But the movie got me thinking about my dog’s life. I’ve never tested her DNA, but I know common health problems for her breed include hip dysplasia, tumors, thyroid problems and bloat. Knowing these facts helps me decide what food and veterinary care I give her. What if you were like Pfeiffer and didn’t know your pet’s true breed or combination of breeds? There is DNA testing for mixed breed animals that answers these questions for some of the same reasons people seek out DNA testing.

Ahhh, now we’re back to paternity testing. Health and wellness are important benefits of paternity testing. If a child knows both of their biological parents, he/she can be aware of the family health history. Heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer and many other conditions can be linked to heredity. Knowledge is empowering. If we know our family’s health history, we can take preventative measures or make lifestyle changes to improve health and wellness.

Check out WebMD’s slideshow of the top 25 dog breeds and their most common health problems. http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ss/slideshow-dog-breed-health-problems

Many fathers are willing to pay child support, trusting the assertion that they are the father of a child. States in the U.S. do not require a DNA paternity test before determining child support payments. In fact, most states have laws in place that impose time limits on submitting DNA evidence that would overturn a child support ruling. These laws have been the source of much debate. Many fathers don’t begin questioning paternity until years after the court determines child support payments. Can you imagine regularly donating to a charity that you later find out is stealing your money and not using it for what it was intended? I imagine this is what some fathers feel when they find out they may have been deceived by a woman that has known all along there could be a chance he is not the biological father.

Fathers have formed communities and support groups. Many can be found online. With divorce rates increasing and so many fathers living in non-paternity situations, there is a growing demand for peer support. There are also legal firms that specialize in father’s rights and paternity issues.

If you find yourself in this situation help is available. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in “fathers support group”.

The survey, which was commissioned by Identigene, the largest direct-to-consumer DNA paternity testing laboratory and makers of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test, reveals that more than one in ten (11 percent) adults ages 18 years and older said they have personally been in a situation where a paternity test was appropriate, and nearly one in five (18 percent) said that they or a close friend or family member have questioned paternity. 

The results of the survey help to uncover the prevalence of paternity questions in the U.S., as well as adults’ intentions to identify biological fathers in the New Year. Fifty-one percent of adults with paternity questions either plan to address their question in 2012 or would like to, but are not sure where to start. Men with paternity questions are twice as likely (51  percent) than women (25 percent) to address paternity in 2012.

New Year Prompts Action

The research helps to confirm a trend Identigene has noticed since it launched the Identigene DNA Paternity Test in retail pharmacies in 2007. Each year the company experiences a spike in first quarter sales, something it attributes, in part, to New Year’s resolutions.

“The new year definitely seems to trigger many adults with paternity questions to take steps to address their question,” says Steven Smith, executive director for Identigene. “We want adults with paternity issues to know they are not alone and there are many others looking for answers, too. But most importantly, it’s vital for them to know that addressing a paternity question is not only a responsible step to take, but a thoughtful and caring decision, as determining paternity can provide many valuable benefits for all involved.”

Why Knowing Is Important

Although the specific reasoning for paternity testing varies from person to person, the benefits of confirming paternity are multifaceted and far reaching. In the survey, three in four adults (77 percent) said they believe it’s important for a child to know their biological father. From emotional and health benefits to financial welfare, paternity answers can have many important and positive impacts for children. “Knowledge is empowering,” says Smith. “It’s important for children and families to know the truth about paternity, as it can impact a child’s health as well as their emotional health and well-being
for years to come.”

How many people knew this but you? How could your partner allow this to happen? What to do from here? Wow! A lot to think about! Several researchers peg the non-paternity rate (the percent of men who think they are the biological father, but in reality are not) at 10% worldwide. So that means 1 in every 10 fathers is not really the biological father. An interesting statistic is that if a man wonders about his paternity and decides to take a paternity test, 29% of the time he will find his suspicions confirmed. This means that 3 of every 10 men who have a paternity doubt are not the biological father.

Source: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/504167

The message here is that men who question paternity should have a paternity test. The sooner the better. After the child is born, a simple cheek swab from an infant, along with the alleged father’s cheek swab, is all that is needed to answer this important question.

A few of the many reasons paternity tests are important:
1. Sense of Identity – a child knowing to whom they are biologically linked
2. Health History – hereditary factors influence preventative health measures
3. Financial support – many households require two incomes to keep up with the cost of living
4. Benefits – health insurance, social security and veteran benefits benefit biological children
5. Government Aid – Paternity allows parents to seek government assistance if they qualify.

The research and statistics on these subjects is plentiful. The benefit of raising children with a present father is certain. Too often children raised without a father repeat the cycle for the next generation.

Researchers and father advocates believe father involvement needs to start as early as birth and especially before age 5 for the cycle to begin to break. Early in development, children also benefit from a “village” – Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, clergy, teachers, doctors, health professionals, and school staff can supplement parental support and become positive role models and mentors for this generation and those to come.

Just because a child is raised by a single mother doesn’t mean that he or she will experience these same issues. An old African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child”. How true is this? Single moms work hard and stay strong for their kids. As family, friends and community members, we can help by taking an interest and watching for early warning signs of a child in distress. Everyone benefits when children are healthier!
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides tips for recognizing signs of behavioral and emotional issues in children ages birth to 21. Check out their informative website, www.healthychildren.org.

DNA Paternity Testing

You’ve sent in your samples now for the results….We’ve received some excellent questions recently about reading Identigene’s Results Statement. We want you to trust and feel confident that you understand the wording of the Results Statement.

According to accreditation guidelines, Identigene is required to word the results statement a certain way. Unfortunately, we cannot deliver the results with the exact words “You ARE the father” or “You are NOT the father”.

To simplify the statement, please look at the formula below:

“John Doe (insert alleged father’s name) is excluded as the biological father of James Doe (insert child’s name) = “YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER”.

OR

“John Doe is not excluded as the biological father of James Doe” = “YOU ARE THE FATHER”.

Secondly, the results statement will provide DNA profiles for further explanation. Remember, this is the data that our laboratory used to determine the results – “excluded” or “not excluded” or simply “you are not the father” or “you are the father”. The cheek cells provide our laboratory with a set of DNA markers (up to 15). These markers are used for identifying individuals. The “locus” or marker location shows two alleles (numbers) for each person tested. These numbers represent a “gene” that has genetically passed down to the person – one from the biological mother and one from the biological father.

According to genetics, a child MUST have one matching number to the father in each “locus”. In some cases, there are natural mutations where the child has a slightly higher or lower value than the father but these are rare. *If the alleged father is “excluded” aka “not the father”, they might have sharing numbers in certain “loci” (the singular form of locus) but to be determined the biological father, they would need to have sharing numbers in EACH loci.

At the end of the results statement, you will see a Combined Percentage Index (CPI). This number needs to be 100 or greater to be determined the biological father. When the percentage is 100 or greater, the probability (scientific chance) that you are the father will be 99% or greater.

Identigene recommends submitting the mother’s cheek swabs along with the child and alleged father’s check swabs. This helps strengthen the probability of paternity if there happens to be natural mutations in the DNA alleles of the child.

If for some reason Identigene has questions about your results, they will contact you and send you additional swabs for free so that you can resubmit your test swabs.

We hope this helps simplify and summarize your results statement. As always, please feel free to call us at 1-888-404-GENE.

You might be wondering why we highlighted this B&B story. At Identigene, we acknowledge there are situations where a mother cannot wait the 9 months and needs paternity answers while carrying the baby. The main challenge is getting the DNA samples from the fetus safely. The two procedures used to test for abnormalities in developing fetuses are the same two used to collect prenatal DNA – CVS (Chronic Villus Sampling) and Amniocentesis.

CVS is where the doctor inserts a needle through the abdomen or cervix and takes a sample of the placenta tissue. It can be performed from about 10 weeks to 13 weeks pregnant.

Amniocentesis is available at about 14 weeks pregnant. In this procedure, a doctor inserts a needle through the abdomen into the uterus and takes a sample of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus.

They are both considered generally safe but do carry the risks of miscarriage, infection, bleeding or cramping. According to the Mayo Clinic, the miscarriage risk for CVS is about 1 in 100. The risk increases if the needle goes in through the cervix rather than the abdominal wall. The risks are slightly less for an Amnio, which carries a miscarriage risk between 1 in 300 and 1 in 500.

If you are in this situation and cannot wait until after childbirth, please talk with your obstetrician about prenatal DNA testing.