Prenatal Testing At A Glance

When a child's paternity is in question, a paternity test can resolve the question of uncertainty.

One type of prenatal paternity test that is used to establish paternity during pregnancy is amniocentesis. Amniocentesis is a paternity test that can generally be administered within the 14th through the 24th week of pregnancy.

Through amniocentesis, the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus is gathered by inserting a needle through the abdomen. The results can be received between 2 to 10 business days. This method is also labeled by some as "invasive" and could potentially lead to health risks.

Amniocentesis and CVS tests are also used by doctors to examine the fetal tissues for the risks of birth defects in the children, affording parents ordering the tests the opportunity to screen their children's health while establishing paternity.