Paternity testing, maternity testing, and other cases where proof is needed to see if two individuals are related is another way to use DNA testing. The purpose of a paternity test or maternity test is to determine if a certain person is the biological father (paternity) or biological mother (maternity) of a particular individual.

You might think that a maternity test would be unnecessary; after all, since you can actually see a birth occur, you might think you can be certain that the woman giving birth is the biological mother. However, with in vitro fertilization, hospital mix-ups, or in cases of adopted children trying to reunite with their biological parents, maternity testing can be of invaluable assistance.

Reasons for paternity testing are more obvious. One of the more famous cases regarding paternity testing involved whether or not Thomas Jefferson had fathered children with one of his slaves. Of course, more practical reasons for paternity testing would be to ensure the well-being of a child and protect his or her rights. Knowing exactly who your biological parents are is important for accessing legal benefits such as child support, social security benefits, veteran’s benefits and inheritance benefits. It also provides an accurate medical history for the individual, which can be important in managing one’s health.

DNA kits for private paternity testing are available on-line and in your local drugstore, but be forewarned that the results from these DNA kits are not admissible in court. If your paternity claim is challenged, a DNA kit result will not likely stand up without additional testing.