At Home Paternity Testing Sample Collection

When you need to determine paternity, but want to do the test yourself, there are many at home paternity kits that can be purchased. The steps are simple and anyone can determine paternity with greater than 99% accuracy when done correctly.

Where to find a paternity testing kit

Many families are able to find reliable paternity testing kits on the Internet for a reasonable amount of money and with guaranteed results. However, it can be overwhelming to choose the best testing kit that combines accuracy with a low price.

A good place to start your search would be with the recommendation of your physician. By calling your general practitioner, they may be able to recommend brands that are more reliable or direct you to free testing services that may exist in your area. Other families might want to stick with larger companies with proven track records for discreet and trustworthy paternity testing.

What you’ll find in a paternity test kit

While all paternity test kits may differ somewhat, in general the basic components are the same. The paternity test kit should include several Buccal swabs (cheek swabs), labels and containers for these swabs, and clear instructions. There are several swabs for each person included for testing: mother, possible father, and child. There will also be a package that will be used to return the samples to the laboratory for testing.

What you need to do

When you first open the paternity testing package, you’ll find that each of the swabs has its own envelope or container to be placed in after the sample has been taken. You’ll want to label these envelopes as directed by the package insert. Labeling one sample at a time will be helpful in order to keep each sample straight.

The next thing that you will do is take the samples by rubbing the swab on the inside of the mother, potential father or child’s cheek. Be sure to apply medium pressure and rotate the swab often in order to obtain cheek cells. Take one sample at a time so as to not confuse the samples as all of the swabs will look alike when you are done. You will usually use another swab for the same cheek and then another two swabs for the other cheek. This might seem like a lot, but it ensures that enough DNA is collected for the sample. After all swabs are collected place them in the envelope/container as directed and then move to the next patient. When all of the samples have been collected, you will then place the envelopes in the mailing package and send the package back to the lab.

How long will it take for results?

The testing times for paternity tests will vary from company to company, but usually it takes no longer than five business days to receive your results. Some companies offer rush service for an additional fee in which case the results may be available in as few as three days. You may be able to retrieve the results over the phone and then receive a printed copy of the findings shortly thereafter.