Can you do a paternity test before child is born?
It can be done, but it is invasive and is rarely performed. One way to do it is through amniocenteses, which comes with its own risks and is usually only performed on a pregnant woman if deemed necessary–if the woman is over a certain age, or if she or the baby’s father have a history of genetic disorders or other chromosomal abnormalities. This procedure involves the OB/GYN (after administration of local anesthetic) inserting a long needle into the mother’s abdomen, into the uterus, and into the amniotic sac to withdraw amniotic fluid. Testing the DNA of this fluid is extremely accurate, but this procedure is rarely done for this reason because of the risks of trauma and infection.
The other method is known as Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) and is done by catheter. This procedure is just as accurate as amniocenteses. The catheter is inserted into the cervix and the doctor uses suction to take tissue from the placenta. This procedure is also usually done to test for chromosomal abnormalities and is done earlier in the pregnancy than amniocenteses, but is rarely done merely for paternity testing because it is invasive and carries the same risks for miscarriage as amniocenteses does–there is also a high risk for infection. Also, there is rarely reason to determine paternity before the child is born, when blood can simply be drawn.
