PATERNITY TESTING

A story that touches the heart was featured by the punch newspaper on the valentine day, It was the story of a middle aged Nigerian man who discovered that a young man he raised from birth and who is now 32 years old is not his biological son.

The Nigerian man who resides in the United Kingdom, Mr. Oscar, was forced to arrange for a DNA test to determine the paternity of his erstwhile son, Valentine, when his wife allegedly told their presumed son that Oscar was not likely to be Valentine’s biological father.

Valentine had dragged his supposed dad, Oscar, to a DNA test centre in Britain after his mother informed him a month earlier that the man who had brought him up for the last 32 years may not actually be his dad. It was reported that Mr Oscar took Valentine to England from Nigeria and put him through school till graduation in the University of Britian. The result of the DNA test was read to Oscar who wailed in agony as the results said there was “zero per cent chance” he and Valentine were biologically related.

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA)

The DNA is like an instruction manual for how to build a person. Most DNA is basically the same in everyone - two eyes, two ears, one nose, etc - but there is enough variation in certain parts of the DNA that everyone turns out slightly different from everyone else. Because of this, DNA can be used to identify individuals. Human DNA can be extracted from many types of body fluid or tissue (saliva, semen, blood, hair, nails etc.) Also DNA can be extracted from an item that is contaminated with body fluids (such as chewing gum, cigarette butts, sanitary towels etc.)

DNA paternity testing is the use of DNA profiling (known as genetic fingerprinting) to determine whether two individuals are biologically parent and child. A paternity test establishes genetic proof whether a man is the biological father of an individual, and a maternity test establishes whether a woman is the biological mother of an individual. Tests can also determine the likelihood of someone being a biological grandparent to a grandchild.

In the case of a paternity test, for example, if we test a child and its mother, we can compare where the two match. This tells us which parts of the DNA have come from the mother. The remaining parts must therefore have come from the father. If we look at a man's DNA and it matches those remaining points, the man is the father. If the parts don't match, the man could not have supplied the child's DNA and is therefore not the father.

DNA can also establish relationships between siblings and more distant relatives as they all will have common DNA inherited from an ancestor.

The testing is performed by collecting buccal cells found on the inside of a person's cheek using a buccal swab or cheek swab. The buccal cells are then sent to a laboratory for testing. For paternity testing, samples from the alleged father and child would be needed. For maternity testing, samples from the alleged mother and child would be needed.

Consent is required for DNA testing

If the child is under the age of 18 years, both parents must consent to parentage testing for the result to have legal standing. All persons being tested must complete a form proving consent on the day of testing.

Accuracy of DNA Tests

DNA paternity testing has the highest likelihood of excluding a falsely assumed father. A man who does not match the child's paternal DNA type can be excluded with 100% certainty. If the man is not excluded, then with DNA testing, the probability of him being the father can be determined up to 99.999%.

Results

In the interest of the parties being tested, when the results are ready, the written reports are forwarded to a medical or legal professional as nominated by the applicant. Counselling before and after the test is also mandatory. This ensures confidentiality of the test results as well as professional supervision of the circumstances of the DNA test.

Peace of Mind DNA testing  

Questions about paternity and simple relationships can be answered by taking a Peace of Mind DNA tests. The sample collection processes for Peace of Mind testing are not admissible for legal purposes. Testing can determine paternity, maternity, common paternal lineage (along the male line), siblingship between 2 sisters (mother's sample is required) and twin testing. Prenatal paternity testing is performed by using samples of the unborn child either by chorionic villi, obtained by the CVS procedure (from 10 weeks gestation) or amniotic fluid, obtained by amniocentesis (from 14-16 weeks gestation).