What Will the Prenatal Testing Kit Contain?
The sample collection kit will be sent out to you once your order has been confirmed; it contains all you require to collect the samples and send them back to us.
• Instruction leaflet explaining how samples are collected.
• 2 x 10-ML Blood Collection Tube (BCT) for the preservation of fetal DNA in the blood sample. This tube is for the mother’s blood. Please ensure they are filled fully as this test requires 20ml of blood.
• A bar code label will be provided. You will use this to label the 10-ML blood collection tubes above.
• 4 mouth swabs to be used for collecting the alleged father’s DNA sample.
• A special biohazard bag with zip to place DNA samples in.
• Boxing, packaging, return labeling and Exempt Human Label (a hazardous shipping label for human or animal biological substances to mark containers that contain excretions, blood or human tissue).
• Consent forms (please fill these out carefully and return them with your samples)
How to Collect the Samples and Use the Kit
Firstly, you will need to book an appointment with a person qualified to take blood samples. Once the mother’s blood is taken it will placed into the collection tubes provided in our kit. The test requires:
• 2 vials of blood collected from the mother;
• 4 mouth swabs collected from the alleged father;
Our vials contain a special solution that helps preserve the samples. For this reason, it is important that you use the tubes provided in our kit and that you do not wait for longer than 1 day to return the blood samples.
Please note that the only added cost you will incur for the prenatal paternity test is the fee charged for the blood collection.
Once you have had the samples collected, you will need to return the samples for analysis using our DHL pre-paid return label. We provide a DHL Prepaid Return Label for all our prenatal testing kits to ensure timely receipt of samples in our laboratory. There is no additional cost for this.
Additional Fathers to be Tested
We always recommend testing the second alleged father if he is available for the test. In the event that a second alleged father is included in the test he will be tested for free except for the cost of an additional test kit that will be provided for his sample collection. If clients require additional testing after results have been issued (for example, testing a second alleged father), we will need fresh samples from the mother and the father. In such cases, clients will need to purchase a new prenatal test.
IMPORTANT: Prenatal Paternity Testing Precautions
It is extremely important that you understand that the test might be inconclusive if you are less than 10 weeks pregnant. Please ensure you calculate the time of conception correctly.
Fill in the consent forms provided carefully, making sure all the required fields are not left blank. You must send this back with your samples. Delays in test may ensue if you fail to send the consent forms or send in forms that are not correctly filled in.
Make sure to use the tubes provided in our DNA sample collection kit. The kit has been specifically designed to be used for this type of sample collection.
If the alleged fathers are relatives (e.g. siblings) or from the same small ethnic minority group then it is important that BOTH of them participate in the test. Failure to provide samples for both fathers will not allow us to conclude the test.
Testing When Participants Live in Different Locations
IBDNA is an international company that operates through a network of offices around the world. This means that we can organize your prenatal paternity test even if test participants live in different locations. This might be the case if the father and mother do not live in Ireland. Please advise us about this prior to commencing the test for a quote for any additional charges.
Click here to read more about our prenatal paternity test.
