DNA PATERNITY TESTS

[missyblues]

Hi,

I am looking for advice on getting a DNA paternity test done. I have so far only looked into internet based companies where DNA samples are posted off. Have anyone used one of these and can verify that they are quick/reliable etc? Are there any places to go in person to get one done? If so, could you advise me on where to start and the approximate cost (I believe it's a lot more than the postal services)? Thanks

Possibly a Nuffield private hospital or similar?

Will probably cost you around £250 at the absolute minimum. This would be for a standard test, called a 'curiosity' test. This is only done via samples sent through the post, and the results have no legal standing as such, they are not admissible in court and so on.

Don't know about Nuffield Hospital tbh, but I do know that (more expensive) tests, at least court admissible ones, can be done via Doctors / GPs.

You can get stung using a company over the interent, it's a case of buyer beware.

Hope all goes well for you, whatever your circs. Want to talk about it?

I have used one called Whoz the Daddy.

www.whozthedaddy.com/regions/UK/EN/

Fast, reliable, cheap - only £99.

The company the CSA use, who's results hold up in court unlike all these peace of mind tests, is Cellmark. If you google them they have a website.

The ones online where you send the samples off are not reliable and if you needed the results to confirm legally that a child is someone's then you would then need to pay for another reliable test.

With Cellmark, they send the information out to you with a list of places where you can get the swabs done. Normally at a hospital, although some GP's do it (our local one does not). They send the DNA kit to them. Then both (prospective) parents and the child would organise appointment(s) with them, take photo ID, pay a small fee for the person to do the test and they send it all off for you.

You then get the results by post and they have a tracking system on their website to see where abouts in the process things are.

I wouldn't waste your time with an online or peace of mind test unless it really was just for peace of mind and the results wouldn't make any difference.

A test with a reputable company will cost between £400 and £500, so not cheap.

I agree withthe above - with the addition that if you are only looking for peace of mind test, then the link I have posted IS good and reliable. And was the cheapest I could find.

However, if you need legal standing, they do do a more expensive test that can be used for legal purposes. But there are plenty of other places you can go for those also.

Thank you everyone - it is just a peace of mind test. I will be bringing up the baby alone and will not be seeking payments from the father, so nothing court-worthy is really essential. The idea of the test is to reassure the father so that he can decide whether or not he would like to be named on the birth certificate and have occasional contact (neither matter to me, but obviously it would be good for baby to know who their dad is and I also feel that this is fair to the father too).

Templemaiden, please can you tell me how many days (approx) it took from sending the test off to receiving a result? Thanks

Hi there, we used a company called Anglia DNA, I believe it cost around £100 and it took approx five days (although felt like 5 years!) Very reliable, very quick and not too expensive. hope this helps.

Thanks Curvychick - just to check, was that a postal service?

Yes it was, they were very efficient, helpful and relaible. I did alot of research and they were pretty cheap but were used by government forensics when we used them (nearly 3 years ago now)

Here is their website www.angliadna.co.uk/aboutus.php

lol

Oh you have got to be kidding!

Andrew- you should be aware that Mumsnet has a media requests section & you are not welcome to post willy nilly [arf]

Andrew I'd love to take up your kind offer of a free DNA paternity test. I have often wondered if the fuckwit who is apparently ds's father could actually be related to ds who is an amazing and lovely 6 yr old. He has none of his father's useless characteristics and they have nothing in common. I'm not aware of having slept with anyone else around the time of ds's conception, but you never know I might have got lucky.

Yours hopefully
MollieO

Actually...could you do one on my BIL to be? There's been an awful lot of speculation

Just what I've been looking for Andy. I have 5 dc and I'm not sure who is the father of 4 of them.

It's complicated.

Also I have family problems in the shape of a brother that is a constant breeder with various different ladies, 2 on way atm.

Then there is my step mother who has some kind of personality disorder. We would love to get on with her but she makes it impossible.

If you could sort out these 3 problems in one show I would be forever in your debt Andy.

Please feel free to mail me on [email protected]

Make sure you are ok with having him on the birth certificate - it will give him rights.

LOL @ NotShort :o

I would recommend Alpha Bio Labs, I know of people who have used them and been happy with the service (reliability and price wise, also if you need a court approved test in the future, they do those also and are the only company I think to send a nurse to take samples from you).