Paternity Testing Research
Statistics And Studies

Paternity Testing Research

Contents

• Research: Impact of Tests on Families
• U.S. Statistics between 1988-2000
• Australian Study

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Paternity Testing

Testing And The Impact On Families

New research published in the United Kingdom suggests that about 4 percent of fathers, without their knowledge, are raising a child that is not their own. The implications are serious because if they were to go down the route of paternity testing the revelations very often lead to a family break-up and increased risk of depression and mental health problems in all concerned. In addition, children whose family life is disrupted by such news are more likely to struggle with low self esteem, anxiety and aggression. Researchers say that the social impact of genetic testing can also extend to other areas such as screening for genetic disorders and birth defects, as well as genetic testing for breast cancer and heart disease.

Currently most people who test for paternity do so using a home paternity test kit. They receive their results in the post or by email. Researchers say that receiving what can be quite dramatic information this way, without being linked into counseling or health support services can be harmful. If statistics show that 4 percent of fathers are affected, this means about 1 in 25 families are sitting on a potential time bomb. In the UK about 33 percent of all pregnancies are unplanned and 1 in 5 women in long-term relationships admit to having extra material affairs. These figures are similar for the rest of Europe and North America. It certainly goes someway to understanding the dramatic rise in use of paternity tests. The annual rate more than doubled in America between 1991 and 2001 to 300,000. Additionally in 1999 the American Association of Blood Banks carried out a study and found in 280,000 paternity blood tests, 30 percent of cases proved the man was not the biological father.

Report: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, August 2011.

American Association of Blood Banks
Statistics on Paternity Testing between 1988 and 2000

The following is a table with the overall figures for paternity testing in the United States:

Year	No. of Tests Performed
1988	77,000
1989	83,000
1990	120,000
1991	142,000
1992	161,000
1993	187,000
1994	193,000
1995	149,100
1996	172,316
1997	237,981
1998	247,317
1999	280,510
2000	300,626

Which Testing Method Technology Was Most Popular?

Type of Test	Preferred Choice
STR DNA Tests	83 percent
RFLP DNA Testing	16 percent
Y Chromosome DNA Test	0.009 percent
Serum Proteins/Red Cell Enzymes	0.3 percent
HLA Class II Molecular	0.1 percent
HLA Class 1 Molecular	0.02 percent
Red Cell Antigens	0.002 percent
HLA Serology	0.001 percent
Allotyping	0.2 percent
SNP (more commonly used as an ancestry gene test)	0 percent

Australian DNA Study

In 2003 just over 3,000 paternity tests after pregnancy were commissioned by Australian men without the knowledge of the mother. In 25 percent of cases it turned out that they were not the biological father. This has led to some high profile cases where women are suing men for paternity fraud because they took the test without their knowledge or consent. Dr Astrid Gesche, of the Queensland University of Technology who has written a book on the matter states that consent from all those involved is important because the result is more than just about clinical information. The results can have a huge impact on children because it says something about their past, and their future. Taking it a step further the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Law Reform Commission have recommended that the government introduce a law which will allow young people, considered mature enough, to say NO to a paternity test. Currently this is not allowed under family law.

Related Questions

Can a paternity test be done without the father?
How do you get a paternity test?
How much does a paternity test cost?
How accurate is a home paternity test?

Related Articles on DNA Tests

For more information about associated issues, see the following:

• Paternity Test While Pregnant
• Twin DNA Testing
• Sibling DNA Tests
• Grandparent DNA Testing

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