One in 25 fathers 'not the daddy'

[QueenOfQuotes]

here

Well I guarantee that DH is "the daddy" of my two........so that's another 23 to go

Acnebride, it's just as natural for couples to remain monogamous too. We aren't chimps or sparrows.

If only we could do a saliva swab and find out how many illegitimate children men have, eh?

You raise an inadvertently interesting point though Rach - a rise in these case doesn't mean more women are up to no good, just that more tests are being carried out.

There are other studies which show that the majority of children are fathered by the resident father, as this one does too. That's obviously not the point here though and that?s my concern. Maybe a job for Balance, Caligula?.

Monkeytrousers, I agree, these results probably stem from more tests being done.

But, I supect that, also, there ARE more ladies, who pretend that their children have different fathers, to the 'real father'.

If ladies trick their partner into falling pregnant, or if ladies lie about who the father is:
it seems to me, that society, although not condoning this, doesn't see it as quite just a big sin, as society used to see it.

I've certainly got chimp-like features myself

not sure if it was part of the same study (some research into genetics or other) but a scientist recently found that in areas of Glasgow and Dundee (very deprived areas) the statistic was as many as 1 in 7.

I can't remember the details but I thought that it to was abandoned but that they had to bring in counsellors to speak to the communities about whether they should pursue the 'truth'...what a mess!

Because of the methodology of the research (they paid for dna samples) it raised lots of questions about whether it was linked to socio-economic status, the chaotic lifestyles that many of the donors led due to increased prevalance of drug-use and alcoholism, etc, etc...

All very interesting but extremely depressing.

Good point Teuch.

Rach, on the everyday evidence of what's in the tabloids I'd have to disagree. Respectfully, of course!

And not all cases will be women 'tricking' their partner. That's illustrative of just how deeply engrained mysogyny is in the world. The 'eve' complex, women aren't to be trusted, etc.

I don't think our attitudes to this have got laxer, if anything we're more condemning of it. Before DNA testing (and also some blood testing) there simply wasn't a way to find out if you were the father or not, and so there was a much more fatalistic attitude to it - the principle was that if you were married, you were the father, end of. There was a case in the eighteenth century I think it was (or maybe seventeenth) where a sailor who had been at sea for 2 or 3 years came home to find a 1 year old baby and left his wife. She sued for maintenance and the judge found for her, because he was married and therefore responsible for all issue of that marriage. He was legally the father, irrespective of who was actually - because there was no way of finding out the actual father.

these studies make me wonder though...if you had a suspicion that your partner wasn't the real father of your child, and you had kept that secret for whatever reason, you would avoid dna testing like the plague...wouldn't you?

do the stats actually say how many 'fathers' are not aware that there chilren are not theirs?

Perhaps it is just a result of the different make-up of families these days...the increase of 2nd and step-families...

just a thought althought I haven't read the full article yet!

...sorry, it does say 'could unknowingly' be bringing up another man's child...

still, it only implies that they don't know!

Granted men could be bringing up one or two children who aren't theirs but they could have 50 illegitimate children other men are bringing up for them! This just seems like just another study that persecutes women, imo.

While everyone in the family jokes about ds being BILs (looks identical to BIL as a baby, same hair colour, traits etc) he definately is dh's.

As Tinker said, "Do you think many of the men do know though? "

Would you just sit there & wonder ?
I wouldn't. I would get an internet test & find out.
I would HAVE to KNOW, one way or the other.

I think in the interests of the child you should leave well alone!

I have heard similar stats before and they have made me wonder!

For instance, I was once talking blood types with my father and he said I would be O as both he and my mum were. Then years later when I gave blood I found I was A+. When I asked my dad he then said he was definately O and didn't know about my mum. My mum (when I saw her, they were separated by then) said she didn't know her blood type. When I told her mine she said well I must be that too! Hmmmm. To be honest I am sure I am my dads daughter but it was odd.

Am glad my ex didn't ask for a DNA test. I know he is the father, I know but it would really have strained our relationship. Luckily he trusted me.

When I was pregnant with dd2 my local hospital refused to test my Dh to find out his blood group, we wanted to know for Rhesus purposes.

They said that they don't do it for anyone and the reason, I found out, is because the man might not be the father of the baby.

We got dh tested by the nurse at our dr's surgery and he was the blood group that we thought he was, we just wanted to double check.

Keepingmum I was told the blood group of both my dd's when they were born, they are both the same blood group as me and my dh.

DH doesn't know his blood type. I know I'm O pos and that both my folks are O pos.'s as well. My dad was in the Army for years, and they put blood type and group on soldier dogtags. My mum she just knew from Rh testing.

Plus, I inherited my dad's ultra-straight Mayan nose and high cheekbones.

Well I'll just have to believe them! Am sure I have my dads ski jump noise!

dh's cousin who is albino found out a few years ago by accident that her dad isnt her dad. She did speak to him and get his permission before being tested but i think it strained the family a bit as her dad was in fact her mum's sisters dh!

also a girl i used to work with, her mums dad was apparently her dad too! [bleugh] and worse still, she's a middle child of the marriage

jampots! That would be pretty tough to take!

Message withdrawn

I have doubts about my mum! As although I love her dearly she is pretty wild...

oooh, this is very interesting! Can anyone tell me the rules regarding bloodgroups of parents and children. I assume that from having a bloodgroup for a child and both parents you can have a good idea of whether both parents are in fact the biological parents or not? Always wondered if my sis is in fact my real sis

This isn't actually a new study by the looks of things -- just a review of all the other studies in this area over the last few years.

Aniles -- you might find this page helpful.