Is it possible and how to do a DNA paternity test during pregnancy, before the birth of the child?

• There are different situations in life, and sometimes conducting a DNA test to determine paternity becomes more relevant than ever.
• Often such a test helps strengthen relationships and dispel doubts about the origin of pregnancy.
• This is possible if the future father has concerns due to his overly jealous temperament, so parents will be able to find out with almost 100% probability whose child is growing and developing under the pregnant woman’s heart!

Paternity test during pregnancy

But that's not true! Such a study can also be carried out during pregnancy.

The period during which the examination can be carried out should not be less than 9 weeks. The period allocated for analyzing the data obtained is most often 10 days or more.

Method of determination

1. The prenatal paternity test is highly accurate and uses only the most modern technologies.
2. Thanks to many years of research by scientists in the field of deciphering human genes, today we can say with confidence that the DNA test has a solid basis and, accordingly, a high level of confidence.
3. In its structure, DNA is a universal carrier of absolutely all information about both an individual person and humanity as a whole.

However, such data is purely individual, and the same DNA code does not exist. All this knowledge allows scientists and highly qualified doctors to determine the paternity of a child.

 Modern scientists have been able to prove that the formation of a baby's DNA is formed with equal shares of genetic information taken from both parents!

It is worth mentioning that currently medical technologies have the ability to use two types of paternity testing: invasive and non-invasive.

At what date can a prenatal test be done?

In modern high-tech medical institutions specializing in establishing paternity, the test is possible from the 7th or 9th week of pregnancy.

In earlier stages of pregnancy, testing is not recommended.

This is due to the fact that there may not be enough genetic material from the fetus in the mother's blood plasma. In this case, there is a high probability of inaccurate analysis of the data obtained, and then the procedure will be required again.

Non-invasive test

As mentioned above, methods for determining paternity are divided into two types - invasive and non-invasive, what is their fundamental difference from each other?

Invasive prenatal testing:

• fundamentally accurate analysis of genetic material;
• research time does not take much time;
• testing only takes place with the DNA of the child’s alleged father and the genetic material of the fetus;
• The disadvantage of such a test is the need to interfere with the normal course of pregnancy.

At the same time, let’s look at the characteristics of non-invasive analysis:

• when using this method, complete safety for the course of pregnancy is maintained;
• recommendations for conducting such a test indicate the need for research at a later stage, 10–16 weeks of pregnancy;
• The accuracy rates are also very high.

The non-invasive test allows you to determine the origin of the child by collecting and analyzing venous blood from potentially close relatives.

If the study indicates a result that is equal to 99.9%, this means that the putative father has the same genetic markers as the child. From these results we can draw a conclusion about the degree of relationship between the subjects.

A non-invasive method for determining paternity cannot be used if one of the parents has had a bone marrow transplant or has undergone a blood transfusion within the last 6 months.

The non-invasive method is the safest for mother and child.

FAQ

What else is worth knowing about determining paternity? The methods used for such a test are still very young, and there are many rumors and myths surrounding the technology. Let's figure out what is true and what is not.

If potential fathers are related

This is due to the fact that if the tests are carried out separately, the results may indicate that the child is from both fathers.

If there are twins in the womb

• If you are pregnant with twins, the test is not recommended.
• The fact is that in this case there is a high probability of incorrect interpretation of the results obtained.
• Sometimes, pregnancy can originate from different men.
• Therefore, determining paternity before birth is not practical.

Can it be determined remotely?

Here you need to understand that when using an invasive method, remote determination is not possible. Since the collection of amniotic material is carried out only by specialists in appropriate clinical conditions.

However, the use of a non-invasive method remotely is quite possible.

For such a test, it is enough to simply collect the blood of potential parents. In the modern world, quite a few clinics offer the technology of painless vacuum sampling of material.

This collection of genetic information can be carried out at home, and blood tubes can be sent by courier. If there are any concerns about carrying out this type of procedure, it is best not to risk it and still go to the clinic.

Contraindications and risks

Contraindications for the procedure to determine paternity:

• increased body temperature;
• uterine bleeding;
• chronic diseases, if they are in the acute stage;
• if there are deviations in the tone of the uterus;
• isthmic-cervical insufficiency;
• uterine fibroids;
• in case of infection of the skin of the abdomen;
• adhesions of the pelvic organs;
• if tissue for biopsy is not available.

If you have contraindications for the test during pregnancy, then it is better to exercise caution and conduct such an analysis after the birth of the baby.

As mentioned earlier, the non-invasive method of determining paternity is considered the safest, since it does not involve direct intervention during pregnancy. That is why it is the most common.

At the same time, using an invasive method has certain risks:

• in particular, the likelihood of miscarriage increases; this threat arises due to the need for access through the abdominal wall or cervix. The probability of unexpected pregnancy loss ranges from 1% to 14%;
• possible pain;
• another threat that does not affect the gestation and vital functions of the fetus is retroplacental hematoma;
• infectious inflammation – chorioamnionitis, occurs in 3% of cases. To avoid this kind of risk, the pregnant woman is prescribed a course of treatment using antibiotics;
• The child’s heart rate may be disrupted – bradycardia. Probability – 12%. The frequency is reduced to 100 beats per minute. As pregnancy progresses, the risk of this side effect increases. Usually the problem resolves itself over a period of time, but in rare cases it leads to cardiac arrest;
• Quite often bleeding occurs in the puncture area. But more often such bleeding does not last longer than 1 minute.

As you can see, the non-invasive method has many more advantages over the invasive one. That is why clinics recommend resorting to safer methods of determining paternity.

Where to go?

1. Please note that the medical institution has the appropriate certificates and permits to conduct the test.
2. Typically, studying the obtained genetic material takes no more than two weeks.
3. Regarding the legal side of the issue:

• There are no age restrictions for the test;
• analysis is impossible without the consent of the mother, since such a study involves intervention in her body;
• if the pregnant woman is against it, then she should wait until the baby is born.

To conduct a test to determine paternity at a period of 9–12 weeks, the test material is chorionic villi. It is in them that the DNA of the fetus accumulates.

For the purpose of conducting research, a biopsy is used, and based on the analysis of the obtained material, a conclusion is made in percentage terms about the degree of relationship between the child and the putative father. To make the procedure as safe as possible, a non-invasive method is used.

Dear readers, the information in the article may be out of date, take advantage of a free consultation by calling: Moscow +7 (499) 288-73-46 , St. Petersburg +7 (812) 317-70-86 or ask a lawyer a question using the feedback form, located below.

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Is it possible to do a DNA paternity test during pregnancy and what methods of determination are there: what is an invasive and non-invasive method

How risky it is to conduct paternity testing during pregnancy is a question that worries many expectant mothers and fathers. What this procedure includes, what consequences may occur after it is carried out, must be taken into account and agreed with the doctor.

Is it possible to conduct a DNA test to confirm paternity during pregnancy?

Relationships between men and women regarding marriage, its dissolution, and the birth of children can develop differently. There are often cases when a potential father of a baby doubts the fact of conceiving a child, giving weighty arguments and justifying his position. Today, the only accurate confirmation of paternity is a DNA test.

The fact is that deoxyribonuclinic acid, being in a woman’s cell, contains the genetic information of real parents. The point of such a study is to compare the DNA material of the child in the womb and the data of the father, after which it is possible to conclude that paternity is up to 99%.

Carrying out the test during pregnancy - reasons

During pregnancy, all activities of healthcare professionals are aimed at preserving the fetus, its development without pathologies, and maintaining a satisfactory state of health of the expectant mother.

In the usual practice of observing a gynecologist, this type of research is not required.

It can only be implemented on the initiative of the woman or the potential father of the child.

Mother's initiative

In the case when a woman has doubts about the relationship of the alleged candidate for father and expresses a desire to carry out the procedure, this option is considered in consultation with a leading gynecologist, since when penetrating the uterus to collect material for research, there is a risk of infection of the fetus.

Before it is carried out, the pregnant woman must give written consent to the intervention, because such an event could theoretically harm the child and the woman, which would become a real threat to the delivery process.

Father's initiative

• There are situations when the husband or partner of a pregnant woman insists on carrying out an examination even before the birth, as he is making plans to establish paternity.
• The test will be carried out if the woman agrees and it does not pose a threat to the baby, but if she refuses and her position does not change, DNA material will not be collected, and accordingly the procedure is postponed until the child is born.
• No one can oblige a pregnant woman or a healthcare institution to hold an event, since the matter concerns the preservation of the life and health of the expectant mother and baby.

Is it possible to get DNA done during pregnancy?

How expedient it is to implement the procedure for obtaining DNA test results specifically at the stage of pregnancy is decided by the patient with the consent of the doctor, so it is definitely impossible to talk about harmlessness or predictable consequences for the fetus.

Who conducts

Activities to study genetic material and obtain it from the patient are carried out in specialized clinics that are licensed and have the legal right to conduct such procedures. They are carried out only by highly qualified doctors - obstetricians-gynecologists who have experience in conducting such manipulations in order to eliminate the risks of complications, because incorrect DNA sampling can have certain consequences for the fetus and mother.

Determination procedure

Determination of paternity during pregnancy can occur in two ways:

• invasive (by obtaining DNA by entering the uterus);
• non-invasive (the material is taken without examining the uterine area, through the blood of the potential father and the pregnant woman).

With invasive methods, the contents are obtained using the following methods:

• the chromosome set of the fetus for research is taken using a catheter through the vagina, or with a syringe through the abdomen (chorionic villus biopsy);
• the placenta, which contains the baby's DNA cells, as a material for determining paternity, is received through a puncture of the abdomen with a syringe (placentocentesis);
• obtaining amniotic fluid through a puncture of the abdominal cavity with a syringe (amniocentesis);
• collection of umbilical cord blood during puncture of the anterior abdominal wall (cordocentesis);
• biopsy of the child's skin (using penetration into the uterus under ultrasound guidance).

A non-invasive method of examining a child’s genetics involves donating blood from the mother and potential father; it is used when the parents want to carry out the procedure, but for objective reasons in order to preserve the baby’s health, this cannot be done with medical intervention. This method also reveals paternity with an accuracy of 99.9%.

Deadlines for issuing tests

Future parents, who want to quickly receive an answer to the question of whether a man is the father of a child, ask hospitals and clinics that provide medical services how long after the examination they can expect the result.

During this time, the study is carried out in hospitals that carry out such activities as one of the procedures from the total number of diagnostics. There are specialized clinical laboratories that only accept tests; they provide results faster, within 5 days.

How to recognize the future dad during early pregnancy

There is an opinion that it is necessary to conduct a test that will show an accurate result after 24 weeks, since in the early stages the indicator may not be informative. This is due to the fact that the fetus is not sufficiently formed and the genetic material is not ready for research.

In fact, the answer about at what stage of pregnancy to collect contents for testing depends on the diagnostic method that will be used specifically for a particular patient (it is selected taking into account her condition and the presence of pathologies in the baby). For example, chorionic villus sampling is performed at 9 weeks until 12 weeks.

Non-invasive prenatal test - effectiveness and risks

A non-invasive method for diagnosing the contents of the test is considered gentle and practically does not entail significant complications, since there is no invasion of the amniotic fluid or the woman’s uterus; specialists only take the venous blood of the expectant parents for analysis. Usually its volume does not exceed 18 milliliters. It is placed in a specialized apparatus and is cooled to the required optimal temperature.

After which, the specialist separates the mother’s DNA from the child’s DNA, and then calculates the data using a computer program, which gives the final result as a percentage.

The effectiveness of this method is determined by the safety for the health of the patient and fetus and the accuracy of the analyzed data. The risks of pathological processes and miscarriage are minimized. The only difficulty for mom and dad may be financial support for the procedure.

Testing to establish paternity is important both after childbirth and during pregnancy.

It has certain risks for the child and the woman in labor, especially if the procedure is carried out using invasive methods (sampling of material through penetration through the abdominal cavity or uterus).

These methods are agreed with the doctor and are carried out only in the absence of pathologies and problems with the woman’s health.

Useful video

Is it possible to take a paternity test during pregnancy?

For any man, fatherhood is very responsible. Some people are waiting with hope for news about their future child, while for others this news falls completely unexpectedly. Some are completely confident in their relationship, while others are tormented by doubts that the pregnancy did not occur from them.

And then only a paternity test during pregnancy will give an accurate answer (positive or negative) and dispel doubts. By the way, the test before birth can be done anonymously.

But you should not rush to make a decision until you understand exactly what a paternity test during pregnancy is and how it can threaten the expectant mother and the unborn baby.

Reasons for taking the test

Often the basis is the resolution of controversial judicial issues, a well-founded desire to establish the truth, the need to travel abroad with the child, and there are still enough reasons when establishing paternity is so necessary. Requests for testing come from government agencies or on an individual basis.

How is paternity determined? Of all the known methods, the DNA test is the most suitable, and its results are reliable. It calculates the probability (in percentage) of a woman conceiving a child from a particular man.

A DNA test is not only an analysis through which the fact of paternity is established, but also all kinds of research aimed at ensuring that the child is healthy after birth, namely:

• the possibility of transmitting diseases occurring in the family to the baby;
• checking for the likelihood of congenital diseases such as Down syndrome;
• with the motive of identifying metabolic disorders and monitoring treatment;
• on a predisposition to diseases such as breast cancer or Huntington's disease;
• for compatibility to determine how the organs will take root in the event of a transplant;
• and finally, genetic identification - a test for kinship, the topic of our conversation.

Potential dads are increasingly interested in whether it is possible to do a DNA paternity test during pregnancy. The answer will be as truthful as possible. Can.

For examination during pregnancy, only the parents' blood is taken. The paternal one is checked immediately after delivery, and the maternal one - only after separating the mother’s DNA molecule from the embryo’s DNA.

When testing reveals similarities in the biomaterials of the man and the baby, the family relationship is confirmed. No similarity - excluded.

It is useful for a future father who insists on a test during the prenatal period to know:

• that samples of his baby's blood will be taken with a special needle, which the doctor will insert into the amniotic sac and umbilical cord;
• that after such an analysis, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, the baby too often dies (pregnancy is terminated).

And before insisting on the procedure, you should think again whether it’s worth it or not.

And if the decision is made, all that remains is to write a statement where the testing is supposed to take place.

Institutions conducting the procedure

The perinatal test is quite easy to take. They are carried out by specialists in specialized clinics, both public and private.

But before you choose a particular one, first make sure that the medical institution has a license (or some other document) that allows you to perform such a procedure.

Taking biological samples takes an average of 5 minutes, and there is no need to prepare for the test.

To perform the test, you will need the genetic material of all participants: the baby, his mother and the candidate for the role of father.

Until a few years ago, the test could be done after the baby was born.

At first, when it became possible to perform such a procedure during pregnancy, intervention in the uterus was required, which often turned out to be detrimental to the fetus.

Today there are other, more modern methods (we will talk about them a little later) that make it possible to establish paternity even at the beginning of pregnancy.

By the way, if there is a medical clinic in your city that does not conduct therapy, but only research, you can do a DNA test here. And be prepared to dispel doubts (or confirm them).

Method of collecting genetic material from a child

New opportunities in the field of diagnostics have made it possible to determine paternity in the womb in the early stages. When choosing how the genetic material will be taken, you should proceed from what the gynecologist recommends and what the period of pregnancy is at that moment. There are two collection methods:

1. Invasive - allowed to be carried out exclusively in a medical institution. And all because there is a possible danger to the health of mother and baby. It is not at all necessary to go to a hospital or private clinics. There are laboratories that do not accept patients, but only do chemical tests, including DNA tests.

When using these methods, the material will be:

• chorionic hairs;
• amniotic fluid;
• baby's cord blood.

1. Non-invasive antenatal DNA testing

Now this method is not widespread, however, it has a leading advantage over other tests, since complications after its implementation are not observed in either the mother or the child.

The best time to conduct the study begins at 4 months of pregnancy (if a Y chromosome is detected).

The closer the birth is, the greater the chances of finding an independent DNA chromosome of the embryo in the mother’s blood plasma.

 Gestational age at the time of analysis Propensity to terminate pregnancy, in %

Invasive
biopsy of germinal hairs	9–12th	2
amniocentesis	14th–20th	2
cordocentesis	18–24th	1
Non-invasive	from 9th

The study participant is given a special certificate indicating the percentage of genetic material match: 99.99% - paternity is confirmed, 0% - excluded.

Now let's talk about the cost of these tests. Let's look at the example of Moscow, how much it costs to order a paternity test. The difference in the cost of individual methods is significant. The non-invasive method is almost three times more expensive than the invasive method (60–90 and 20–30 thousand rubles, respectively). This is explained, first of all, by the fact that it is a safe and high-tech method.

Essential father's genetic material

A typical test substance is saliva taken from the inner wall of the cheek. If a woman wants to use individual items that she has kept from men, but she has stopped communicating with them and no longer wants to meet, she has the right to submit for examination what she can find:

• seminal fluid;
• hair with bulbs;
• brush for cleaning teeth;
• used chewing gum;
• cigarette butts;
• dried blood on anything;
• nails;
• earwax.

Contraindications and risks

The study is contraindicated if the expectant mother:

• heat;
• a periodically recurring illness has worsened;
• uterine bleeding began;
• tone disturbances were identified;
• enlarged uterine fibroids;
• a parasitic disease of the surface of the skin of the abdomen was diagnosed;
• tissue substances are not available for analysis;
• adhesions were found in the pelvic organs.

If the girl has any of the above-mentioned “troubles”, it would be reasonable to cancel the procedure. It can be done later, when the baby is born.

About risks and deadlines

The dangers of DNA testing depend on the time at which it is performed. The shorter the period, the correspondingly greater the risks. Every woman should understand this when deciding to take a kinship test. Moreover, at the beginning of pregnancy this procedure is not particularly informative and even dangerous.

Taking fetal biomaterial may result in:

• miscarriage;
• infection;
• bleeding;
• injury to the embryo.

It is these circumstances that mean that establishing paternity in the first trimester should only be done in an emergency situation. Already from 3 months the danger becomes much less, but the most favorable period begins from the 6th month of pregnancy.

Amniocentesis and cordocentesis will be the safest and will provide the most reliable information, especially if they are done starting from the 5th month of pregnancy, when the fetus and membranes have strengthened and enlarged, which are visualized perfectly. This way nothing will be damaged. The procedure itself takes place without complications and does not provoke artificial labor. But even if so, there is no threat to the baby’s life.

And only particularly important circumstances, when it is necessary to find out who the parent is immediately, can become the basis for a positive court decision on this issue. But if the doctor concludes that invasive manipulation cannot be performed on the expectant mother due to her well-being, the examination will not be performed.

FAQ

Is it possible to do a DNA test remotely?

This cannot be done using an invasive method. Only a doctor can take amniotic material, and only under sanitary conditions.

For a non-invasive study, anyone can take blood if you buy a certain kit, with which you can painlessly take blood yourself at home, and send the material for analysis by courier. Such kits are often offered by paid clinics and chemical laboratories.

If you are absolutely sure that you can handle it, do it. If not, you need to go to the hospital.

If a woman is carrying twins

As a rule, when there are several fetuses in the womb, it is considered inappropriate to do a DNA test before the babies are born. Why?

1. There is a fairly large danger of erroneous interpretation of the results.
2. It may turn out that conception occurred from different men.

Is it necessary for every potential father to donate blood if they are related?

Each possible parent will have to give their biological material. It is recommended that these tests be carried out simultaneously and blood taken from each man. Because it is possible, by testing them separately, to obtain a conclusion that both of them are the fathers of the child, which means that the woman became pregnant from both one and the other.

Establishing paternity is a serious matter and very important in the life of any person. Modern technologies allow it to be carried out extremely carefully so as not to harm the baby.

Some may be worried about whether a DNA test could be wrong. It must be agreed that the recognition of research methods based on blood type, eye or hair color as ineffective is quite justified, since they do not give a 100% result. DNA research is a method that is considered the most accurate for establishing kinship and will reliably establish paternity.

You can choose to test any of the described methods, but think first of all about the safety of the unborn baby and the health of its mother.

Is it possible to establish paternity during pregnancy?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule in the cell nucleus and a storehouse of genetic data for every living creature, in which all the characteristics of the organism are recorded. A person also has DNA, and, as a rule, he receives 50% of it from his biological mother, and the remaining 50% from his biological father. A paternity test involves comparing parts of the DNA of the child and the potential father.

To carry out the test, it is necessary to examine the biological material of the child, his natural mother and the putative father. Similar studies are carried out in the laboratories of specialized clinics, where the percentage match of sequential DNA combinations of alleged relatives is determined.

The coincidence in all DNA fragments of the child and the man means that the man is 99% likely to be the father of this baby. If there are two or more discrepancies, paternity is considered unconfirmed, and the man is excluded from the applicants.

Such a test can be carried out even at the stage of pregnancy, when the child is still in the womb (or surrogate mother).

Of course, it is better to carry out such a test after the birth of the baby, avoiding such intervention, because it carries a serious threat of infection of the amniotic sac or the fetus itself and, in addition, can provoke a miscarriage or premature birth.

However, in some emergency cases (when, for example, a woman doubts who fathered the child, or the alleged father believes that he was not involved in its birth), paternity is established without fail. If a man, and not a woman, insists on an examination, then the test can be carried out, but only in court.

So, for example, if a woman, after her last menstruation, had several unprotected sexual contacts with different men, then presumptive paternity can be established by calculation, that is, the most probable time of conception is the period of ovulation (middle of the cycle) - approximately 14-15 days after menstruation.

In this case, most likely, the father of the child will be the man with whom he had sexual intercourse during this particular period of time. However, this method cannot be reliable if:

• the woman has not monitored her menstrual cycle for the past six months, noting the day of ovulation;
• if in the middle of ovulation (+/- 2 days) there was still more than 1 sexual partner, since in the moist alkaline environment of the uterus and fallopian tubes, sperm is able to maintain its fertilizing ability for 2-3 days, or even longer.

DNA tests to establish paternity during pregnancy

Modern medicine has two methods of conducting a DNA test during pregnancy - non-invasive and invasive, which differ in that the first is carried out without intervention in the uterine cavity of a pregnant woman, and the second is carried out using special equipment with penetration inside the uterus.

How is a DNA paternity test performed using a non-invasive method?

For more accurate results of this testing method, it is used at 10-16 weeks of pregnancy, and it is the safest for the expectant mother and her baby.

Specialized clinics or laboratories involved in DNA testing have high-precision equipment and reagents that make it possible to determine paternity with high accuracy (up to 99.9%) even during pregnancy, and for this it is enough to analyze the venous blood of the alleged father of the child (10 ml) and mother (20 ml). Blood can be collected at any medical institution as for a routine blood test, and then sent to a specialized laboratory. More blood is taken from the mother, since fetal DNA is isolated from it in the form of fragments.

The high percentage probability of the test in its conclusion means that the alleged father and child among several thousand random individuals have the same genetic markers.

However, a non-invasive testing method will be unreliable if one of the parents received a bone marrow transplant or blood transfusion less than six months before testing.

How is an invasive paternity test performed during pregnancy?

An invasive method of DNA testing involves the removal of tissue samples, biological fluids, and blood by penetrating the natural external barriers of the mother and fetus. The procedure is carried out only in a specialized medical facility.

To conduct a DNA test using an invasive method, in addition to the perinatal biological material of the child, DNA samples from the mother and the putative father are required. For this the following can be used:

• cheek scrapings,
• biomaterial from a toothbrush,
• hair with hair follicles,
• dry blood,
• saliva,
• sperm, etc., from which DNA can be extracted.

In parallel with paternity tests, a test for genetic diseases (for example, Down syndrome) can be carried out or, conversely, under the pretext of checking hereditary diseases, it is also possible to establish paternity. The research can be conducted anonymously.

The child's parents should be warned about the possible risks associated with the methods of collecting perinatal material during the invasive method.

In order to obtain biological material from the unborn baby, a pregnant woman has to undergo any of the following procedures:

1. Amniocentesis is a puncture (puncture) of the amniotic membrane of the fetus in order to obtain amniotic fluid. This manipulation is carried out at 14-20 weeks of pregnancy by puncturing the skin and anterior abdominal wall of the mother with a thin long needle, penetrating the uterus, puncturing the amniotic sac and collecting a small volume of amniotic fluid (amniotic fluid) from the cavity of the amniotic sac. The risk of miscarriage or complications after the procedure is 1-2%.
2. The CVS method (chorionic villus biopsy - the membrane of the fetus) is carried out at earlier stages, starting from the 9th to 12th weeks of pregnancy (acceptable from 8 to 14 weeks), that is, during the first trimester, which is the advantage of this method. BVS is performed using a biopsy syringe or a thin aspiration catheter, which is used to puncture the abdominal wall and uterus (or access is through the vagina and cervix, depending on the location of the fetus) to remove amniotic fluid along with the villi of the outer membrane of the embryo (10 are enough for analysis). -15 mg). The procedure is performed using an ultrasound machine to prevent damage to the fetus, so the risk of potential complications after the intervention is 2-3%. Next, the sample is thoroughly cleaned from the mother’s tissues and blood, and then placed in a special medium and submitted for analysis. Chorionic villi have the same genetic structure as fetal tissue.
3. Cordocentesis is carried out after the 18th week of pregnancy, and with this method a sample of fetal blood is obtained from the vessels of the umbilical cord by puncturing the anterior abdominal wall and the mother's uterus with a long needle. A puncture point is selected at a distance of 3-5 cm from the place of attachment of the umbilical cord to the placenta - the required amount of blood is drawn from the lumen of the umbilical cord vessel. The procedure is carried out under ultrasound control. The risk of complications or premature birth after this procedure is reduced to 1-2%.
4. More accurate DNA test results are obtained if it is performed after the 24th week of pregnancy. Starting from this period, amniotic fluid is subject to examination, a sample of which is taken by inserting a needle into the uterus through the abdominal wall. The procedure is performed using an ultrasound machine so that the position of the needle can be monitored, and the risk of complications from this procedure is reduced to 1%.

After collecting the necessary biological material for research and extracting the child’s DNA from it using microarrays with a large number of genetic markers (hundreds of thousands of options) and special computer programs, the samples are compared and the data is processed. The test takes 5-7 days to complete.

Carrying out a DNA test during pregnancy is not an easy task, much more difficult than conducting a similar test on an already born child. And only a very experienced specialist can cope with the procedure for collecting fetal biomaterial (otherwise there is a risk of losing the child).

However, there is no reason not to trust the reliability and correctness of the medical report (the accuracy of the examination is 99-100%) of the test, since neither the mother’s illnesses nor any other processes occurring in her body at this time affect its result . However, if there is a risk of complications or a threat of miscarriage, the procedure to establish paternity is postponed until the baby is born.

DNA testing to establish paternity during pregnancy

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule that is located in the nucleus of a cell. It carries the genetic information of every living creature. The DNA molecule consists of half data received from the biological mother, and half from the father.

Therefore, if doubts arise about paternity, then DNA analysis remains the most accurate method of establishing kinship today.

However, despite its accuracy and the ability to perform it in the early stages, it has a number of contraindications and possible risks associated with a successful pregnancy. We will talk about all this further.

In order to conduct a DNA test to establish paternity, it is not necessary to wait until the baby is born; it can be done while the child is in the womb, that is, during gestation.

But given the many contraindications, as well as the direct threat to the unborn child, the mother may refuse such an idea, unless, of course, the father has good reasons for this, for example, litigation about divorce or division of property.

If you nevertheless decide to conduct an examination during the period of bearing a child, then find out how to reduce the risks of such an intervention, as well as what alternative methods exist to resolve the issue.

DNA Analysis Procedure

The paternity test procedure takes place only in specialized clinics, with the participation of experienced specialists.

To conduct a DNA test to establish paternity, biological material is taken from the mother, child and father. If all fragments of the father and child match, the test provides information about 99.9% similarity between the alleged relatives.

If the program produces the result of a mismatch of at least two fragments, then the probability of paternity is reduced to zero.

Method of collecting genetic material from a child

The method of collecting biological data for the purpose of conducting a DNA test to establish paternity has two methods: invasive and non-invasive. Each of them has its pros and cons, let's look at them separately.

Invasive method

The invasive method involves obtaining genetic material directly from the child, that is, taking his blood, as well as samples of amniotic fluid.

Since the baby is inside the mother, the doctor punctures the abdominal wall, then the uterus, and after the amniotic sac, and collects the necessary materials for research.

During the procedure, the pregnant woman is in a lying position; she is not given any pain medication, since she does not experience any particular discomfort, other than personal experiences. The puncture site is determined using ultrasound.

The invasive method of collecting genetic material has several types:

• Chorionic villus biopsy. Such a test can be carried out in the first trimester starting from week 8, but it is better to wait a little until at least week 14 for the accuracy of the results. This is the main advantage of this method, and as for the disadvantages, the risk of complications of such an invasive intervention is 3%, which is the highest figure compared to other methods. The collection of a biological sample is carried out under careful ultrasound supervision to prevent injury to the fetus using a special catheter or biopsy syringe. This instrument is inserted either through the vagina or through the abdominal wall, and then enters the uterus, it all depends on how the fetus is located. To carry out the analysis, only 10 mg of the sample is enough, which is then cleaned of maternal blood. The resulting chorionic villi are no different genetically from fetal tissue.
• Cordocentesis. This type of invasive test can be performed from the 18th week of pregnancy (second trimester). With this method, fetal blood is taken by puncturing the venous or arterial vessels of the umbilical cord. Here, too, mothers insert a needle through the abdominal wall and uterus, after which the required amount of material is collected under close ultrasound guidance. The risk of complications after cordocentesis is no more than 2%.
• Amniocentesis. This method is very similar to the previous one. Here they also puncture the anterior abdominal wall and uterus with a long needle under ultrasound supervision; however, they do not take blood from the lumen of the vessels, but the required volume of amniotic fluid. The risk of puncture of the amniotic membrane, which contains the unborn child, ranges from 1 to 2%. This test is also carried out in the second trimester starting from the 14th week.

Despite the small percentage of risks of performing a DNA test during pregnancy, doctors still strongly recommend postponing this procedure unless there is an urgent need for it.

More accurate results from samples taken for a paternity test are best obtained after the 20th week.

At earlier stages, such a procedure, although infrequent, can lead to pathological pregnancy processes, the threat of miscarriage or infection of the amniotic fluid.

The final result, after taking blood or fluid, is carried out using microarrays with the participation of special computer programs and a large number of genetic markers. All stages of the study usually take from 4 to 7 days.

Non-invasive method

This method is considered safer than invasive due to the absence of puncture of the amniotic sac during pregnancy. The non-invasive method is carried out only with the participation of tests of the mother and father. Based on the collection of the mother's venous blood, the DNA of the unborn child is isolated from it in the form of fragments and compared with the collection of the father's blood.

If the program showed a high percentage of match, this means that the child and father have the same genetic markers, which are absolutely not similar to other individuals. If a pregnant woman is carrying a boy, then the Y chromosomes, which are transmitted exclusively from the father to the embryo, are compared.

And if a girl is expected, then both X chromosomes are subject to comparison in order to detect a complete match with the father’s markers.

The non-invasive method can be performed for periods of 9 to 16 weeks. It is completely safe and does not pose a threat to the unborn child or mother. The probability of results from this method of determining paternity is 99.9%.

Blood sampling from the mother and father can be taken either directly at the clinic itself where the test will be carried out, or in another laboratory, with subsequent redirection to a specialized laboratory. The only obstacle to implementing such a safe method of DNA analysis is its low prevalence.

Today, not all cities have qualified doctors in this field and the necessary high-tech equipment.

In addition, a non-invasive method for determining paternity may not be effective if one of the potential fathers had a blood transfusion or bone marrow transplant six months or earlier before the test. In all other cases, it is not inferior in effectiveness to the invasive method, however, it is absolutely safe.

Father's materials for analysis

If a man takes the initiative to establish paternity, then in such a situation the clinic usually takes a scraping from the inside of the cheeks. But sometimes the mother herself doubts the potential father of her child and does not want to reveal her doubts, so she looks for other ways to provide material for research. In this situation will help:

• hair with bulb;
• sperm;
• a piece of nail;
• cigarette butts;
• dried blood on clothes;
• chewing gum;
• earwax;
• toothbrush with saliva residue.

Before submitting one of the items described above for testing without the participation of the father, consult with the clinic doctor on how and in what way to provide the material for analysis. The paternity testing procedure is carried out only within the walls of a specialized clinic.

In addition to conducting a DNA paternity test, you can examine the unborn child for potential genetic diseases, which is also important.

Under this pretext, many pregnant women persuade a man to undergo the necessary tests if they do not want to notify them of their doubts.

Favorable period for testing

Despite the fact that each of the methods for collecting genetic material makes it possible to conduct a test starting from the 8th week, doctors still recommend holding off and conducting the analysis in the second or third trimester, that is, at least from the 12th week of pregnancy.

After 12 weeks, not only does the effectiveness and reliability of the results increase, but the risk of complications is also significantly reduced. At later stages, even with an invasive method of collecting material, it is very difficult to damage the amniotic sac, since it is well visualized, not to mention the child himself.

In almost all cases, the procedure takes place without injury or complications and does not threaten the child’s life in any way, unless, of course, the rules of the procedure are violated.

Contraindications and risks

If you, like future parents, are faced with the question of confirming paternity, then before conducting a DNA test, a specialist in the clinic will definitely require permission from the pregnant woman’s attending physician to ensure that such a procedure is not contraindicated for her and that there is no threat to her health. Among the contraindications for analysis, namely the invasive method of collecting material, may be the following facts of pregnancy:

• uterine bleeding;
• uterine tone;
• chronic diseases that currently occur in an acute form;
• infectious lesions of the skin in the abdominal area;
• adhesions of the pelvic organs;
• uterine fibroids;
• inaccessibility for biopsy;
• isthmic-cervical insufficiency.

With the diagnoses described above, the only correct decision is to wait for the birth of the child and conduct a test without threatening the health of the mother and baby.

However, if you nevertheless decide to conduct a DNA paternity test while bearing a child, then you should know what risks you may encounter with an invasive method of collecting material, despite the 1-2% chance of an unfavorable outcome.

• Risk of miscarriage. If you make a puncture through the abdominal wall, then the risk of miscarriage, as we noted, is up to 2%, but if samples are taken with a long needle through the cervix, then the risk increases to 14%.
• Bradycardia. This is a pathological decrease in heart rate that can lead to cardiac arrest in a child in 10% of cases, but it is often diagnosed early with an invasive test.
• Bleeding. This is one of the most common adverse outcomes of sampling during pregnancy. This occurs in half of the cases, however, after a short time, within a few minutes, the bleeding stops. To avoid such consequences, blood must be taken from the umbilical cord, which flows through the venous vessels.
• Choriamnionitis. This is an infectious inflammation that occurs as a result of an invasive technique for collecting material, namely chorionic villus biopsy. The risk of such consequences is no more than 3%, and treatment for infectious infection involves taking antibiotics.
• Pain. Some mothers report discomfort during the procedure. However, experts say that for the most part they are caused by increased nervousness.

Given the many side effects after conducting this type of DNA test, you must approach this issue responsibly and decide what is more important to you.

A woman has the right to refuse such a risky procedure, promising the potential father to carry out the necessary tests after the birth of the child. A man can interfere with this desire if he has a court decision in his hands that requires confirmation of paternity.

But again, the court decision will fade into the background if the mother has the above-described contraindications for a DNA test during pregnancy.

Analysis results

Any of the selected methods for conducting a paternity test provides an accuracy of up to 99.9%.

There can be an error in the results only if the experts made a mistake during the research, for example, they compared the child’s genetic material not with the father’s, but with the mother’s. But this occurs extremely rarely in 0.4% of cases.

After collecting all the necessary data, the result can be obtained in 5–10 days. If necessary, the results obtained can be certified by a notary and used as evidence in court.

DNA Test Accuracy

• 16 DNA loci - minimum 99.9999%: confirmation; 100%: refutation;
• 20 DNA loci - minimum 99.99999%: confirmation; 100%: refutation;
• 25 DNA loci - minimum 99.999999%: confirmation; 100%: refutation.

Based on international requirements adopted at the Second International Symposium on Human Identification in 1991, the probability of exclusion (PE - Power of Exclusion) should not be less than 99.99% for the system of markers used during the establishment of paternity.

According to K. Hummel classification

• 99.75-99.99% - paternity is practically proven;
• 99.00-99.70% - paternity is highly probable;
• 95.00-98.50% - paternity is very likely;
• 90.00-94.50% - paternity is probable;
• 80.00-88.00% - some indication of paternity;
• 70.00-79.00% - only a formal indication of paternity;
• 55.00-69.00% - zone of uncertainty with a tendency towards probability;
• 46.00-54.00% is the zone of uncertainty.

Determine paternity by gestational age and date of conception

To determine paternity, some women resort to the method of calculating the date of pregnancy and possible sexual intercourse with one of the partners during this period.

To do this, they usually calculate the approximate date of ovulation +/- 2 days from the middle of the menstrual cycle and compare it with the days when the woman had unprotected intercourse.

If a woman has had several sexual partners, then this method does not work at all and does not provide any reliable information.

Using independent calculations, you cannot be absolutely sure that ovulation occurred on a specific day; this cannot be done even with the help of an ultrasound. There is still a slight error.

Thus, a DNA test remains the only way to establish paternity with a probability of up to 99.9%. The main thing here is to entrust the matter to experienced specialists who have been working in this field for many years.

Before carrying out an invasive method of collecting genetic material, weigh the pros and cons again, and if there are no serious reasons for carrying out such a test, then it is better to postpone it until the birth of the child.