DNA Testing Cost for Standard Paternity Test
The DNA testing cost depends on various aspects of DNA testing and the type of test being conducted. The testing of DNA refers to the process of testing the types of the nucleotides present in DNA and is basically used for some genealogical purpose. The results do not have any medical information or values; they are used to compare the test results with the historic population results or for any official purposes e.g. litigation etc.
Standard Paternity Test:
The Standard Paternity Test (SPT) in males is done with the help of Y-chromosomes in order to check the patrilineal ancestry. This passes from one generation to the next e.g. from the father to the son. If the test results match then they come under the same genealogy.
As mentioned earlier, the standard paternity test is used to determine the paternity of the child. This is an excellent method to overcome various commotions and disagreements within a family; especially when it comes to right of inheritance or claims against ancestral property. The child’s DNA is tested and compared with that of his/her father’s [generally or at times even with mother’s] DNA and if the result is a match, the child belongs to that parent otherwise it might have an alleged father or mother.
Irrespective of DNA testing cost for establishing paternity, the demand for this test is on the rise due to social security matters, healthcare of the child, proper diagnosis of ailment etc. Nowadays, with improved kits available for DNA testing for paternity, the DNA testing cost for such test has become affordable and court approved labs charge somewhere around $400-$1500 for such test. Again it depends on the type of test performed or method followed i.e. blood collection, cheek swab testing, umbilical cord collecting and testing etc.
This standard paternity test i.e. SPT or private testing is done by collecting samples in the hospitals or by self process. The sample kits are sent from the hospitals to the concerned person to collect their buccal swabs or cheek scraping. In some labs, they use mouth wash or chewing gums instead of swabs. After the tests are performed the labs destroy the samples in most of the cases but at times they store it for future use; especially for forensic investigations, if any in future. The DNA testing cost depends on the kits the laboratories use. The better the kit, the higher is the price.
Anybody can take up this test to find their ancestors. In the short tandem repeats test i.e. STR, the Y-chromosome is tested. The STR segments that are examined are referred to as the genetic markers. These are repetitive units that vary from person to person. But due to the concept of polymorphism there will be a change in the single nucleotide in the relative DNA sequence. This will help in identifying the history of the genetic tree of the person concerned. This polymorphism is called as single nucleotide polymorphism or in short SNP. With the change in the degree of sophistication of test, complicacies and number of male involved the Y-STR DNA testing cost would be high or low. Generally it ranges from $200-$300.
In general, DNA testing cost for standard paternity test varies on the basis of type of test conducted, degree of sophistication and level of precision of paternity test kit used, the status of lab you are buying service from (cost will be higher if done from a court approved lab and cost will be low if you opt for online labs for “curiosity testing”) etc. Generally the cost ranges from $150-$2000 and it takes on an average 2-12 days to hand over the report to you depending on the complexity of the test conducted.
Related articles
- Kits for DNA Testing (dnakits.org)
- DNA Tests: Genetic Testing Cost
- Cost of DNA Testing Depends on Results Required
Tagged as: DNA · DNA Profiling · Forensic Science · Parental testing · Science in Society · Short tandem repeat · Single-nucleotide polymorphism · Testing Services
