(+1) 647 931 2711Thinking about paternity testing during pregnancy? Are you informed about the methods of prenatal paternity testing? Do you know about the risky methods and the risk-free methods? Are you even sure you are pregnant? The information here provided should be a good starting point for you.
What are the symptoms of Pregnancy?
Pregnancy symptoms are many and not every expectant mother will exhibit the same symptoms. In fact, symptoms are bound to differ immensely from one pregnant mother to the next. Also, a woman might have different symptoms in one of her pregnancies than in another subsequent pregnancy.
Am I pregnant?
The following are common symptoms:
- Tiredness and fatigue: these symptoms occur pretty early in the pregnancy- in fact in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. You cannot definitively attribute tiredness or fatigues to pregnancy however, as these symptoms are exhibited in many other conditions such as depression.
- Morning Sickness: this is probably the most clichéd symptom of being pregnant. It is true many expectant mother’s do feel mild to intense nausea when they are pregnant and typically, this will occur in the morning. Considering changes in the body during pregnancy, this is no surprise. Again, do not be quick at concluding that you are pregnant- nausea is a pretty common symptom linked to stress or upset stomachs. You can confirm pregnancy by doing an over the counter pregnancy test.
Pregnancy DNA test: New, non Invasive
A totally risk free non invasive pregnancy DNA test has been developed by some top laboratories. All that is needed for scientists to analyze the baby’s DNA is a blood sample. A doctor can take the samples using a syringe – in this maternal blood sample there will be a mix of the mother’s DNA and the fetal DNA; the fetal DNA will be in much smaller quantity than the mother’s DNA and can be either cell-free or cell enclosed. Using a highly advanced method to analyze the parts of the fetal DNA known as single nucleotide polymorphism, scientists can map the child’s genetic profile.
For the prenatal paternity testing, a DNA sample from the alleged father is required. Although to some the following statement may be obvious, it is worth making clear: you cannot determine paternity with just a profile from the mother or the child.
In line with non invasive prenatal paternity tests, are also non invasive gender prediction tests. The sex of the unborn baby can today be known not with a blood sample but with a urine sample (more information here). Again, it is important to realise that this is a DNA test and not a home test.
Paternity Testing during Pregnancy using Invasive sampling Methods
Invasive fetal sampling methods carry risks- they can endanger the unborn baby’s as well as the mother’s life. The chances or the probability of the risks materializing are very small but very real. In some countries, perception of carrying out amniocentesis and CVS is very negative simply because of the risks inherent in these tests. Prenatal paternity testing can be done via amniocentesis or Chorionic villus sampling– the former involves insertion of a needle via the abdomen into the womb and the latter involves insertion of a catheter into the womb via the cervix (entrance to the womb). If you require paternity testing during pregnancy, the most apt choice would be the non invasive type.
