Posted on 07/29/2004 8:51:05 AM PDT by LuLuLuLu
She's just a couple of months along, but he's wondering how soon a paternity test can be done.
Does anyone know?
Many thanks in advance.
I believe that until she names him as the father on the birth certificate that he has no standing in the courts and therefore cannot force her to submit to a test.
She could have an amniocentesis performed, but from what I understand, it can have harmful effects on the baby.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=amniocentesis+and+paternity&spell=1
She's willing to have the test. They both want to know, so they can plan accordingly.
Being a woman myself, I tend to believe her. However, being a woman myself, I know women lie.
I suggest that if the question is valid then counsel your stepson to step up to the plate and ensure the best possible medical care for the young mother. DO NOT marry her out of obligation, however, as that is not the basis for a good marriage. Do the test afterward and if it isn't your stepson's child, he has learned a valuable lesson; if it is his, then he has learned a harder but still valuable lesson.
If he doesn't help her out during pregnancy, will she terminate? Don't put her in that position. She needs your support and love. Adoption will save a life.
Any testing in babies in utero is very risky. Even taking amniotic fluid presents a certain amount of risk.
Yes, thank you for that. I found the same information.
The last thing either of them want is to possibly harm the baby, even if it isn't his.
A local hospital told him they had to wait until the baby is born. Planned Parenthood told him that a test can be done after the 5th month.
dna testing can be done in utero
It is now possible to isolate fetal cells from the maternal bloodstream. I don't have time to research this further, but try Google: "fetal cells in maternal blood" or something similar. BTW, I am a biomedical scientist-turned bureaucrat....
I think this can be done by amnio, but without a medically sound reason, it probably isn't advisable to subject the baby to the inherent risk. They should probably wait until the baby is born.
Don't bail out on her during the pregnancy. Is your stepson the only one of the possible fathers who has come forward? I'm not advising that he accept a lifetime's obligation but he shouldn't be looking to bail out if he "did the deed" so to speak.
Waiting for 5 months for the test. Then another 3 months? for the results means the man would have had time to develope a relationship. Take my word for it finding out the results can ruin you after you have fallen in love with the baby. The woman can then go to the real father and deprive you of seeing your baby if their is a fight. There no winning when you find out the baby is not yours.
Men have to keep it in their pants to avoid ruining their lives and I am not just talking about paying child support for 18 years.
Fetal Cell-Free Nucleic Acids in the Maternal Circulation: New Clinical Applications
TUANGSIT WATAGANARA and DIANA W. BIANCHI Division of Genetics, Departments of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts-New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA Address for correspondence: Diana W. Bianchi, MD, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Box 394, 750 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111. Voice: 617-636-1468; fax: 617-636-1469. Dbianchi@tufts-nemc.org
From a recent issue of the Annals of the New York Academy of Science, Volume 1022: 90-99 (2004).
Also, go to www.nih.gov and click on libraries and then on PubMed.
Be careful, because Planned Parenthood doesn't give a rats ass about the well-being of the fetus. Refuse any sort of invasive testing such as amniocentesis.
Is there any chance that your stepson would consider foregoing the paternity test and just taking responsibility for this child? The fact that paternity is in question means that mistakes have been made here on all sides. But regardless, life is different now for the mother. That baby needs a permanent father in his life, and I hope she understands that. Maybe she and your stepson ought to consider him becoming the child's father regardless.
It is possible there are some legal issues there, if the other man is still "around", knows about the pregnancy, suspects its his, and wants to be involved. But otherwise, I don't think it really matters. Donating sperm does not qualify one to be a father. Taking responsibility does.
I wouldn't trust Planned (no)Parenthood to give me directions to the corner market, much less advice on paternity testing. All they care about is getting her to abort the kid, so tell her to steer clear of that place.
I can't really add to the discussion other than to advise your step-son to stick with her through it all the way. Once the child is born, they can have the test, but he may find that, even if he isn't the dad, that he is still attached to the child. This may be a defining moment for him and if the real dad isn't man enough to step up, then the child may benefit from having a "real" dad in your step-son.
While this is not an ideal situation for you to become a grand parent, and I am sure there is disappointment in your step-son, help him to realize his mistakes, accept it and, most important, learn from it. Encourage him and her and show them all the love you would if they had been married and planned for this child.
Above all else, PRAY for them both, as this is going to change their lives forever.
I think they did that test on LAW and Order SVU.
I agree and I would like to add some advice. Keep a diary. If the woman in question slept with other men she might not be sure who dad is. Once paternity is established she might decide she isnt happy with dad and might get the father to take her in.
If the young man keeps a journal that shows he loved this child since the day she or he was born and had been dad it will weigh heavily in court for visitation or outright custody later in life depending on how stable mom is. All sorts of problems pop up. Say he decides to be dad and no paternity is needed, then later on mom leaves him for the real dad when the kid turns out to be a dead ringer for the actual father.
They did, and such points to the reality that the testing still is expensive and usually considered justified only in criminal cases...
But is it worth the risk?
Amniocentesis is not without risk for the child. The best method for finding the identity of the father is the Ann Landers (or Abby) method -- try to remember.
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