Stats say that 1/3 of married women have had an affair, and about 1/2 of married men have had affairs - no doubt with some married women. I’ve heard that 10% or so of people’s fathers isn’t the guy listed on the birth certificate, which pretty much jives with that 1/3 and 1/2 figure of marries diddling around.
My guess is that DNA testing at the hospital at an otherwise happy event would cause even more marriages to break up (even if the dalliance is in the past, or a onetime thing) than usual, as well as fits of violence.
I don’t think much good would come from this, sorry.
So your basic philosophy on this is, “Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil”?
I think if you asked most people, they would want to know, and want to know as soon as possible. At least then, if the husband decided to be a Father to another man’s baby, it’s a choice that he is making, not one that the mother made for him. After accepting paternal responsibility, though, I do think that he should be treated as the biological dad in child support and custody issues.
Holding non-fathers legally and financially accountable for children that are not theirs, although noble in intent, is violating and wrong. The man in this situation is just as innocent as the child.
For what it's worth, your stats are way off. It's a common enough error, but they're overcounting the people who cheat with multiple partners.
The best long-term studies show that roughly 20% of married woman, and 30% of married men, ever cheat on a spouse during their lifetime. Sure, I wish the numbers were even lower, but they're not 33 and 50%, either.
Drew Garrett