In most situations, hospitals do not conduct paternity tests at birth – at least not as a standard procedure. Generally, hospitals focus on the mother and child’s health and well-being immediately following birth.

However, in certain situations, arranging for paternity test samples to be collected soon after the baby is born may be possible. Some hospitals can facilitate the testing, while others may direct you to a nearby testing center. 

Paternity testing can be an emotionally charged experience for everyone involved. For many, obtaining the results as quickly as possible alleviates uncertainty and provides much-needed peace of mind. Here, you can explore how soon paternity testing is possible and the options available for individuals seeking rapid results.

How Early Can You Get Paternity Test Results?

Paternity testing can be performed at any time after the birth of a child. The test typically involves a simple cheek swab from both the newborn child, as well as the potential father. If desired, the mother may also submit her sample. Although this is not typically necessary for conclusive results, it can be helpful in cases where two potential fathers are related. 

If court-admissible results are required, both the child and potential father will need to have their DNA samples collected at an approved facility where a strict chain-of-custody is followed. 

If you opt to conduct a paternity test with DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), you can expect results within two business days after samples are received at our lab, although expedited results are available for an additional fee. You will get an email notification as soon as your results are ready. The email will provide you with a link. From there, the link will prompt you to log in to a secure portal where you can view and download your results

Another option to consider is a prenatal paternity test, or NIPP testing. NIPP or “Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity” testing determines the biological father of a baby before the mother gives birth. These tests can be performed as early as 7 weeks of pregnancy with over 99.9% accuracy. 

How Does NIPP Testing Work?

Very early in pregnancy, the baby’s DNA passes through the placenta and starts circulating in the mother’s bloodstream. A non-invasive prenatal paternity test requires collecting a small blood sample from the mother and a DNA sample from the potential father, such as a buccal (cheek) swab.

From there, the mother’s blood sample will be sent to a laboratory, where the free-floating fetal DNA cells will be extracted and analyzed. The laboratory will compare the baby’s DNA (extracted from the mother’s blood sample) to the DNA of the potential father(s) and determine if a match exists. 

Why Choose NIPP Testing with DDC?

There are many benefits that NIPP testing with DDC can provide.

NIPP Testing Is Safe for Mother and Baby

NIPP testing is entirely safe for both mother and baby. Before NIPP testing became available for pregnant women, the other prenatal paternity test options came with a certain degree of risk. These invasive tests include amniocentesis and CVS (chorionic villus sampling).  

While these invasive procedures are still necessary in some situations, utilizing them specifically for paternity testing is often unnecessary with today’s technology. Not only are tests like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling invasive, but they are also quite expensive. Invasive methods used to test prenatal paternity are becoming less common as safer and more affordable options like NIPP testing continue to grow in popularity.

Test as Soon As 7 Weeks Pregnant

With our next-generation technology at DDC, you can trust NIPP testing to answer your paternity questions as early as seven weeks.  

With our Certainty™ Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity Test, we can isolate and analyze free-floating fetal DNA from the mother’s blood at just seven weeks gestation. In the past, a woman had to wait until the 13th week of pregnancy before testing to ensure there was enough free-floating fetal DNA in her blood. Fortunately, advances in analysis technology now allow for this timeline to be significantly shortened. 

Fast Results That You Can Trust 

When you choose DNA Diagnostics Center as your NIPP test provider, you can trust the results. DDC is the world leader in paternity testing, performing more paternity, relationship, and prenatal paternity tests than any other lab. 

We understand that customers need answers as soon as possible; expedited results are available as soon as three business days from when the samples arrive at the lab. 

With AABB accreditation, we can proudly ensure that our test adheres to the AABB’s strict standards of accountability for testing, including analysis, Ph.D. review, and documentation.

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