Is the cheek/buccal swab accurate?
YES. Because DNA is the same in every cell in your body, analysis performed on the cheek cells is just as accurate as analysis perfomed on blood 6. How old must a child be to perform DNA testing? There are no age restrictions. DNA testing can be performed on individuals of any age. Newborns can be tested using either a buccal (cheek) swab or umbilical cord blood, both are easy and painless procedures. 7. Can a paternity test be performed before the child is born? YES. however, it is more expensive and does involve some medical risk, therefore any mother interested in prenatial testing should consult with her OB/GYN. There are 2 procedures by which to collect prenatal DNA samples; Chorionic Villi Sampling (CVS), performed at ~1–13 weeks of pregnancy or Amniocentesis at ~14-24 weeks of age. 8. Can paternity testing also show if the mother is not really the mother? YES. Although it’s rare, there have been several cases in which non-maternity has been found while performing a routine test
