With the ever-changing technology of genetic testing, several more advancements in paternity testing have emerged. Previously, paternity testing during pregnancy involved invasive procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus collection. Although these techniques were accurate and dependable, they were intrusive and presented a risk to the mother and the infant. There was a risk of abortion or improper infant growth. For these reasons, genetic testing revolutionized and pioneered non-invasive paternity tests during pregnancy. As promising as it seems, we’ll find out more about it in this post, so let’s dig in.
What is prenatal DNA testing?
Prenatal DNA testing is a sort of testing that occurs when a woman is pregnant to determine the health of the baby. Basically, it offers information about your baby’s health. At your initial appointment, your doctor will test your blood, check for infections, and so on. Aside from that, healthcare providers will screen for gestational diabetes, Down syndrome, and HIV. In this article, we’ll talk in detail about prenatal tests.
Types of prenatal testing
- Screening tests- These tests determine if your baby has a specific defect or not. It might be due to a hereditary disease. Screening tests are frequently performed in the first or second trimester. These exams include blood tests and ultrasounds. There are three types of screening tests.
- First trimester- During the first trimester, healthcare providers will collect your blood sample and do ultrasounds.
- Second trimester- During the second trimester, they will repeat the blood test, commonly known as the quad screen. This calculates the four chemicals in the blood.
- Third trimester- DNA from the mother and fetus is collected to see whether there are any chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome or trisomy 13/18.
- Diagnostic tests- If the screening test reveals a problem or if your age and family history place you in a difficult circumstance where you would be in danger while giving birth to a baby, diagnostic testing is necessary. It is the only method to learn about the diagnosis.
The most common method used for prenatal testing
The most frequent way to do a prenatal paternity test is to collect cell-free fetal DNA samples. Cell-free DNA is discovered in pregnant women’s blood and is very useful for prenatal paternity testing. Fetal DNA fragments detected in the mother’s blood are extracted, and paternity findings are obtained using this non-invasive process. Laboratory tests can consistently verify paternity by comparing fetal DNA to the genetic characteristics of potential dads.
Reasons for a NIPP test
NIPP testing serves a variety of purposes, including determining paternity. A few of them are enumerated below:
- Acquiring Health Insights
The health of the infant should be the parent’s first concern. The health of their infant should come first. Parents can find out more about their children’s health and potential ailments that they might develop in the near future by having them tested for NIPP. Parents can make wise decisions regarding their baby’s life by learning early on about their health issues.
- Find Uncommon Genetic Illnesses
Using a variety of genetic markers, paternity testing can assist in examining the baby’s DNA and identify uncommon genetic illnesses. This enables people to take preventative measures to stop the onset of such diseases.
Based on the results of the test, doctors might conclude whether a patient is sick, carries a disease, or has an illness. Even if a carrier does not have the ailment, they can still pass on the gene mutation to their offspring. A DNA test can be done for:
- Von Willebrand Disease
- sickle cell disease
- cystic fibrosis
- Albinism
- Turner syndrome
- Tay-Sachs disease
- Spina Bifida
- Figuring Out the Baby’s Gender
Before, only ultrasounds could be used to determine the gender of the unborn child, and only after the mother had been pregnant for five months. The gender of the unborn child may now probably be ascertained approximately seven weeks into pregnancy, thanks to the advancements in DNA testing. The five months of waiting to find out the baby’s gender are over.
Home DNA Test Kits
Another way to get a paternity test done is using the home DNA kit. You can easily get a DNA test done from the comfort of your home. This allows you to privately and secretly take a test without anyone finding out.
Summary
In conclusion, NIPP testing is a modern kind of paternity testing that enables people to learn more about the unborn child’s health and other details in addition to establishing paternity. In terms of DNA tests, Choice DNA testing is an excellent option. They provide a range of DNA tests, including forensic DNA testing, DNA ancestry testing, and many others. Their precision and incredibly accurate results make them a great option for any individual’s genetic testing needs.