Paternity

What is the Paternitysafe® test?

Paternitysafe® is an advanced non-invasive prenatal test that can provide information on who a child’s biological farther is before birth. By “non-invasive” we mean procedures such as amniocentesis or CVS are not needed, only a simple blood draw is required. Until recently, the only way to verify paternity before birth was to collect the amniotic fluid or chorionic villi, thus an “invasive” test that carries a risk of miscarriage.

How is the Paternitysafe® test performed?

The test is performed by collecting and analysing DNA obtained via two buccal swabs from the suspected father. The DNA collected is compared with fetal DNA obtained via a blood sample from the expectant mother after 10 weeks of gestation. The kit contains two swabs for one alleged father. Additional swabs can be provided to test multiple alleged fathers.

How does the Paternitysafe® test work?

Paternity is determined by analysing the baby’s DNA present in the mother’s blood. During pregnancy, some fragments of fetal DNA circulate in the maternal blood. It is possible to extract this DNA, analyse it and compare it with DNA collected from the alleged father.

Who can have the Paternitysafe® test?

The Paternitysafe® test should be discussed with a healthcare professional prior to sample collection. Eurofins will offer advisory services as well as genetic counselling as required.

The test can be performed on singleton and monozygotic (identical) twin pregnancies, with at least 10 weeks of gestation who have had an ultrasound scan. For technical reasons, the test cannot be performed if the alleged fathers are monozygotic twins, if the pregnancy is dichorionic (non-identical) twins or if the pregnancy is obtained from assisted reproductive techniques (IVF) with female heterologous fertilization (donor egg) and a sample from the donor is not available.

In pregnancies that began as dizygotic or multiple twins, followed by the spontaneous abortion of one or more fetuses with resorption of the gestational sac (vanishing twin), DNA from the aborted fetus may also be present in the maternal blood. This could affect the quality of the results.

What results can be expected from the Paternitysafe® test?

The genetic profile of the child is inherited half from the mother and half from the father. Therefore, the genetic characteristics of the child which are not present in the mother are inherited from the father.

If the alleged father has these characteristics in his DNA, he is the biological father (COMPATIBILITY), otherwise he is excluded as the biological father (NON-COMPATIBILITY).

At the end of the process, a report is issued, which indicates whether or not the alleged father who carried out the test is the biological father.

In some cases (approximately 1%) the test can produce a suboptimal or inconclusive result.

For further information please contact the laboratory.