Paternity Testing for Adoption
The following articles are provided by organizations partnering with the American Pregnancy Association to deliver related information to you. The mention of specific products or services does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the APA unless it is explicitly stated.
Whether you are a birth mother or a family hoping to adopt, you may become familiar with the emotional ups and downs that accompany the adoption process. Increasingly, adoptive families are recognizing the benefits of using DNA testing as they navigate the adoption process.
There are three primary reasons to consider DNA testing in an adoption case:
- Birthparent Relinquishment: While biological maternity is not typically contested in adoption cases, if there are questions of biological paternity, DNA testing can be used to identify the child’s father. In some states, proof of biological paternity is required before a child can be placed for adoption, while in others, establishing paternity is requested by an adoptive family for peace of mind or to establish genetic, medical information the child may need later in life. DNA Diagnostics Center often provides DNA testing of birth parents for legal adoption purposes through legally- defensible chain of custody testing that provides assurance that the child was relinquished willingly and with the birth family’s intent of giving him or her a better life
- Attorney Requests for Future Protection: Many adoption attorneys, especially members of The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, prefer that their clients and the children involved in the case undergo DNA testing such as paternity testing. Attorneys use DNA paternity testing to be sure that both biological parents of the child relinquish their parental rights willingly and knowingly, therefore protecting the child from legal complications later in life. For attorneys and adoption agencies that use DNA testing for many of their cases, DDC offers legal chain of custody DNA testing. All results are returned to the adoption attorney or agency with complete discretion, and both birth and adoptive families can depend on our results to be private and confidential.
- Surrogacy or Assisted Reproduction Identification: As medical advances permeate the world of conception and reproduction, DNA tests are used for genetic identification and verification of children conceived by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or carried by a gestational surrogate. For IVF-conceived children, DNA testing can be used to verify that the child is the biological child of one or both IVF donors in the case. For children carried by a surrogate mother, many states now require DNA testing to complete the adoption by the child’s biological parents; any biological relationship between the surrogate and the child must be disproved before the biological parents are granted full parental rights over the child.
For more information on how DNA testing can be useful in an adoption case, call 1-800-798-0580 to discuss your case confidentially with one of DDC’s caring case managers. If you are an adoption attorney, you may request more information by using our online form or call 1-800-798-0580.