DNA stands for deoxyribose nucleic acid. This is a factor present in the chromosomes of the human nucleus. Each human nucleus contains 48 pairs of chromosomes which contain the deoxyribose nucleic acid. Out of these 46 chromosomes are the autosomes, which affect the general characteristics of the person, while the other two are the sex chromosomes, X and Y. Men have the XY combination, while women have the XX combination. The sexual gametes of both (sperm in males, egg cells in females) contain half of this combination. Thus, while the male sperm can contain either the X or Y sex chromosome, the female egg cells will always be X. Depending on this, when the reproduction occurs, the male X or Y might combine with the female X to produce an XX or an XY combination, i.e. a girl child or a boy child. That is the reason why it is said that the sex of the offspring depends on the father and not the mother.
However, this is another issue altogether. What's more important to us to know here is that when the reproduction occurs, another very important component from each of the gamete cells combine with each other. This is the DNA molecule, which is present with the chromosomes, both sex chromosomes and the autosomes. The deoxyribose nucleic acid is a long winded molecule, with a pattern of interconnected nitrogen bases, phosphoric acid molecules and a five-carbon atom sugar known as the deoxyribose sugar. What makes the DNA different in each person is the pattern in which the nitrogen bases occur. In fact, there are infinite combinations in which DNA testing centers can occur, making every person's DNA quite unique from each other.
Now when the offspring is produced, the deoxyribose nucleic acid of the child produced will be roughly equivalent to half the DNA of the father and half the DNA of the mother. That is why if the DNA of the child and an alleged father are analyzed, it can be determined with absolute accuracy whether the person is indeed the father of the child or not. This is the basic principle of DNA paternity testing.
Deoxyribose nucleic acid paternity testing, samples of DNAs from both the child and the person who is supposed to be his/her father are sent to a lab for examination. By precise testing methods, they find out similarities and dissimilarities in the patterns. If half of the child's DNA is found to be similar to the adult's DNA, then that adult is most probably the child's father. However, these tests have a great degree of accuracy, especially in negative testing, i.e. the person is not the father of the child.
There is an urban legend that over thirty percent of all children are not born of their appointed father; instead, they are the products of adultery. Because of this long-standing myth, the idea of a paternity test has been a persistent one in the minds of the public. Here, we will explain what a paternity test actually is and answer questions on how it works to prove who fathered the child.
Why A Paternity Test:
Some question why this test is called a 'paternity'. The answer is quite simple: unless the mother was impregnated through an egg donation, it's obvious that she is the mother. The father, however, can be anyone--that is why children are tested against his DNA and not hers.
How Does A Paternity Test Work:
Though there are other methods, DNA testing is the easiest--and most effective--way to test a child for paternity.
DNA is unique for each individual but, when sexual reproduction occurs, an embryo is created. That embryo is formed by taking genetic material from both parents to create a new string of DNA.
To prove who is the father, one only has to look at the child's DNA pattern. In it, you will find evidence of the father's unique traits. Certain sequences will be available, and these will prove whose traits passed on.
Is A Paternity Test Accurate:
Yes. Unless the case involves a twin brother, DNA should easily be able to tell who fathered the child. The test is accurate.
Is A Paternity Test Necessary:
This is the gray area of the subject. A father's right to know if a child is his is not questioned; what is questioned, however, is the effects on the child. Often, cases of fathers seeking parental rights to children who have with their mothers and another man who they view as their father surface. These cases are long, drawn-out battles of basic parental rights versus basic child welfare. The father may argue that, since it was he who actually created the child, he should have the right to be present in his or her life. Others would argue, however, that a child in a stable home should not be forced to have two fathers and, therefore, two lives.
It is this heated debate that has divided many, and left the rest uncertain. Each case is different and must be examined as unique, which makes setting precedent almost impossible.
To have a paternity test is to open up a great deal of consequences--not only for the child, but for the parents. It is not a simple matter, or one that should be decided too quickly. These tests may be taken without consent, but there is a law in the UK that is demanding that no test be given without the express knowledge of all involved. This is to protect families.
A paternity test is an effective way to discover who fathered a child, but it can also be an effective way to cause a child grief. It should be approached with caution.
Both Sean Tan & Richard Cussons are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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