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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes, it can be done in the first trimester. See conclusion written below.
Strom CM, Rechitsky S, Ginsberg N, Verlinsky O, Verlinsky Y.
Reproductive Genetics Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60657, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine the feasibility and optimal techniques for prenatal paternity testing. STUDY DESIGN: Since January 1989 we have offered prenatal paternity testing by deoxyribonucleic acid testing. We analyzed the ability to complete the testing and the time required to complete the testing and developed polymerase chain reaction-based tests to speed test results. RESULTS: Before April 1990 only five of nine cases could be completed. Since that time 28 consecutive cases were successfully completed before delivery. Introduction of polymerase chain reaction-based testing has allowed us to perform testing on uncultured chorionic villi and to derive results within 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: Analysis of uncultured chorionic villi allows prenatal paternity testing to be completed within the first trimester of pregnancy. Prenatal paternity testing can also be performed on cultured amniocytes and chorionic villi.
PMID: 8678150 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
I've also read of a case where a woman became pregnant shortly after being raped and the test was done that early to help determine whether the father was her husband or the rapist. Thankfully, the test showed her husband was the father.