Twins and DNA Testing.
When thinking about genetics a fascinating topic is twins and how much DNA they actually share. As most people know there are two common types of twins, fraternal and identical. Identical twins are considered to be, as the name indicates, genetically identical. Fraternal twins however share the same amount of DNA as full siblings. How does this apply to DNA Testing and particularly paternity tests?
Well, imagine if a child has two alleged fathers. In this situation the two alleged fathers are twins. Whether they are fraternal or identical will determine how we must approach this as a lab and whether a conclusive result can be found at all. If the alleged fathers are fraternal twins we must treat this the same way we would approach a test if two alleged fathers were full siblings.
The best case scenario in this test is to collect a DNA sample from both alleged fathers. This way we can compare both individuals DNA and accurately determine which of the twins is in fact the father of the child. If one twin is not available for paternity testing then we must perform extended analysis. This additional analysis will have an additional fee associated with it. This analysis will be done to conclude whether the tested alleged father is in fact the father or is more likely to be an uncle to the child. If you find yourself in this situation I recommend contact our Client Support group to discuss the best testing for you.
If the two alleged fathers are identical twins there is currently no way to determine which of them is the father of the child. This is an unfortunate situation, and I truly wish there was an answer here. Maybe in the future there someone will find something in DNA that can help answer these important questions.
The other question that can come up with twins and DNA Paternity Testing is about children. If the children are twins do we have to test both to confirm paternity? Depends.
If they are identical twins, then no. They will share exactly the same DNA because technically they can from the same fertilized egg. With identical twins there is only one possible father.
Fraternal twins, however, come from two fertilized eggs. So, in this scenario it IS possible that each twin has a different father. While this is extremely unlikely, it is possible. In this case I would recommend both children are tested for paternity. I was able to find an article on this subject just for more reading on the matter: http://www.multiplemom.com/articles/twins-with-different-fathers.html.
I hope that clears up a little bit about DNA, twins, and how it all relates to paternity testing.
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