Waiting for Paternity Test Results

Regardless of the outcome you are hoping for, the wait for the paternity test results can be difficult for any couple or single parent. But what can you do in the meantime?

Is there any way to speed up the process?

In terms of DNA extraction for paternity testing, it is nearly impossible to speed up the process and still obtain verifiable results. The labs need time to go through precise steps in order to be able to see the markers that need to be compared in order to give a clear paternity inclusion or exclusion. However, if you are willing to pay an additional fee many labs offer a rush option that will allow you to jump to the head of the line for testing. If rush service is of interest to you, be sure to check with the lab beforehand and follow any special steps they request for a rush test.

If you’re in a stable relationship

When you’re looking for the paternity of your child and you’re in the confines of a supportive and loving relationship, the wait for the results can seem unending. You just want an answer that will make your family truly ‘one’ with itself. Instead of having just a mother and a child, you’ll be able to call your partner a father as well.

This is a good time to talk to each other about what you would expect in terms of the new family unit that might form. You might want to talk about your parenting styles and what your plans for the child might be. While these plans can change, it can help to create a unified plan for your child and his or her life.

Of course, you will also want to talk about your options should the child not be fathered by your partner. If the biological father is not present in the child’s life and should they decide not to become present, there is an opportunity for the biological father to sign away parental rights and for your partner to become the legal father of the child. This is the option that you should discuss as well.

If the biological father does not want to sign away his rights, then you will want to consider how the two male figures will work together in the child’s life. In such a situation legal documents should be drawn up to include financial responsibility and visitation. It can help during this time if you visit with a lawyer to get all of your choices and decisions laid out before you.

If you’re single

You may also be a single mother that is waiting to find out who the father of your child is. In this case, you will also want to sit down with a lawyer and discuss what your options are and what you will need legally from the father. If you’re not interested in reconciliation with the father, then this is time to determine what you will need in the future in terms of support from family and friends.

While you’re waiting

The waiting period is a good time to keep your self busy with planning for the eventual results. A lawyer is the perfect person to talk to in order to get any of your questions answered regarding legal aspects, while also keeping you from focusing too much on the results. Any religious organizations that you are associated with would also be more than willing to lend their support and a sympathetic ear.