Maternity DNA Test
DNA maternity testing determines the biological mother-child relationship. The science behind this test is that every person’s DNA or genetic fingerprint is unique except for identical twins. DNA does not change once it is formed at conception. We all inherit half of our genetic materials (DNA) from our biological father and half from our biological mother. The DNA maternity test compares the DNA fingerprints between the tested woman and child to determine if the child’s DNA matches half of the alleged mother’s DNA.
DNA testing is the most advanced and sensitive technology to determine parentage. A standard DNA maternity test generates conclusive results to prove the mother-child relationship. In our laboratory, the probability of maternity is 0% if the alleged mother is not biologically related to the child. A probability of maternity of at least 99.9% is typically achieved if the alleged mother is biologically related to the child.
Applications for Maternity DNA Test
Immigration
In an immigration petition that is based on biological maternity relationship, the U. S. immigration authorities such as USCIS or U. S. embassies overseas may request the petitioner and beneficiaries to take a DNA test when primary documents are unavailable or insufficient to prove the claimed relationship.
Adoption
In an adoption case, one of the proper steps that ensure peace of mind in the long run is to have the birth parents officially waive their legal parental rights. Often times, it is not easy to verify who the real birth parents of the adopted child are.
In a domestic adoption situation, some birth mothers may not notify the biological father when they give up the child for adoption. Depending on the laws of each state, the biological father may still have parental rights that he may want to pursue even after the child is given up for adoption by the birth mother. Therefore, it is important to verify who the biological father is by a paternity test and get him to officially waive his parental rights. In the mean time, it is always good practice to have the mother take the maternity test and officially give up her parental rights so that there will not be any potential legal issues in the future.
Vietnam that require a maternity test to complete the adoption process. A maternity test conducted under the official witness and proper procedures is a practical method to verify maternity and ensure that the birth mother is willingly giving up her child for international adoption.
Additionally, the maternity DNA test can help to verify mother-child relationship when the adoptee decides to search for her birth mother.
Surrogacy
Recently, there is a surge in the number of parents seeking surrogacy to have a baby. There are two types of surrogacy currently used: “traditional” and “gestational”. The traditional surrogacy is done via artificial insemination, with the surrogate using her egg and another man’s sperm to conceive the embryo. The gestational surrogacy is done via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), where fertilized eggs from another woman are implanted into the surrogate’s uterus.
In both situations, the intended parents need to verify the birth parents of the child, and take proper legal procedures to obtain their parental rights. A maternity DNA test can help to exclude the surrogate as the biological mother in a gestational surrogacy case. A maternity DNA test can also confirm the surrogate as the birth mother in a traditional surrogacy case and help waive her parental rights to make the child available for adoption.
In a maternity DNA test, the father, the child and the alleged mother normally participate in the testing. Father’s participation is optional and will not affect accuracy of the test. This test can be performed before the child’s birth if needed. In this type of case, the baby’s DNA is collected by an OB-GYN using CVS or Amniocentesis procedures. We encourage our clients to consult with their OB-GYN on the risks before they decide to take the DNA test before birth.
A DNA maternity test following chain-of-custody procedures generates legally admissible results that can be used as evidence in the above mentioned situations. For more information about the maternity DNA test, please call
