The paternity of a child is not always clear cut. Sometimes a mother may be uncertain about who the biological father of her child is. In other cases, the mother may not wish to acknowledge the father – and the father may want to establish their parental rights to their child. In such cases, genetic testing may become necessary to prove biological paternity.
These safe and effective tests can tell you with almost total accuracy whether there is a biological relationship between a parent and a child. While you may want answers, you may also worry about the test – particularly if your child is averse to medical procedures. Is the genetic testing process invasive?
A blood test is no longer necessary to establish paternity
Before the rise of modern genetic testing, blood testing was the most scientific way to limit the field of possible fathers when there were questions about paternity. Both the overall blood type and Rh factor for the child and potential father would influence the likelihood of a genetic connection.
Obviously, needles were necessary to do this kind of testing. Some people have a strong aversion to needles and consider drawing blood an invasive procedure. For genetic testing today, all that has to happen is a swab of the inside of the cheek. There is nothing painful or invasive about the process. Therefore, it is not reasonable for someone to decline a genetic test on the grounds that they have a fear of invasive medical procedures.
Having a genetic test won’t do any harm to your child and may benefit them by helping you establish their true biological lineage. If you’re having difficulty getting someone to agree to one for themselves or a child, an experienced attorney may be able to help.
