Before deciding to do DNA collection from the comfort of your own home, you need to make sure you weigh the pros and cons of in-home vs. in-clinic testing. Let’s see the benefits of each method and the potential risks of performing this procedure on your own at a non-accredited facility.
Two benefits and two risks to a home paternity test
Before you decide to go ahead with purchasing your own test kit to perform DNA analysis, you need to know the two main benefits and two biggest risks of doing this procedure on your own.
Benefit #1: Convenience
One of the main reasons why people choose to do a home paternity test is the convenience factor, find out more info. There is no need to make appointments and wait at the doctor’s office for hours in the lobby to get called to the examination room. Instead, you can purchase a home paternity test online and wait for it to arrive in the mail.
You can sit in the comfort of your own home and do the test on your own time and on your schedule. Instead of having to work around your school, family requirements, and job needs, you can do the test when it is most convenient for you.
Benefit #2: Accurate Results
If you do the test correctly, the resul;ts will be just as accurate as at a testing facility. By reading the directions and making sure to follow all of the steps in order, you can obtain a painless and simple cheek swab with the provided tools. Once you have collected the DNA sample, you can put the swab in the labeled packet and send it to a DNA facility.
Risk #1: Non-Admissible Results
Although the results are convenient and almost just as accurate, the results will not be able to be used for legal reasons in court. If you are fighting for custody of a child, need more child support, or fighting for legal immgiration status, you need to go to an accredited facility so they can do the procedure on their own.
Since the court cannot verify the person who gave the sample and the method used while performing a paternity home test, the results cannot be trusted by the court system to be deemed as 100% accurate.
Risk #2: Inaccurate Testing
If you do not do the steps in the correct order or contaminate the product, the results will not be as accurate as getting the test done in-person. Although a home paternity test is almost as accurate if done correctly, if the person doing the collection contaminates the swab or does not collect DNA from the right spot, it can taint the data.
Conclusion
When deciding if the home paternity test is the right choice for you, you need to weigh the pros and cons before making your final decision. For those who want a convenient and easy procedure, the home paternity test could be the way to go.
