For thirty years it’s been possible to swing by the corner store, pick up a pregnancy test, and quickly see if parenthood is immanent. If the test is positive, the woman is in the unique position of knowing, with absolute certainty, that the fetus growing inside her womb is her biological child. The prospective father can only hope.
This may sound like a crass observation, but it happens to be true, and much of the scientific field of social evolution focuses on how the certainty of maternity and uncertainty of paternity have shaped male and female behavioral strategies. Well, social evolution has now met paternity testing for the masses.
The Identigene Home Paternity Test
For thirty years it’s been possible to swing by the corner store, pick up a pregnancy test, and quickly see if parenthood is immanent. If the test is positive, the woman is in the unique position of knowing, with absolute certainty, that the fetus growing inside her womb is her biological child. The prospective father can only hope.
This may sound like a crass observation, but it happens to be true, and much of the scientific field of social evolution focuses on how the certainty of maternity and uncertainty of paternity have shaped male and female behavioral strategies. Well, this year, social evolution meets paternity testing for the masses.
The Identigene Home Paternity Test
In the spring of 2008, the Identigene at-home DNA paternity test made history as the first home genetic test ever to be available in stores (the tests have been available online for several years). The over-the-counter paternity test was initially rolled out nationwide though the Rite Aid pharmacy chain, and is now available through several retail pharmacies. The Identigene test is sold, off the shelf, for $29.99. Once the buyer obtains the DNA samples, there is a $119.99 fee for laboratory processing.
The DNA Blueprint
Each individual’s entire genetic blueprint is found in every single cell of his or her body. The DNA for the Identigene paternity test can be extracted from a sampling of cheek cells lining the mucous membrane inside of the mouth. Cheek cell samples are obtained by running a cotton swab inside the cheek. The kit provides all materials necessary to collect and mail the three DNA samples (mother, child and prospective father) to the laboratory where the individual DNA fingerprints are analyzed and compared. Identigene promises to provide results, that are 99.9% accurate, within three to five business days.
Over the Counter Won’t Hold Up in Court
Although the test may be accurate, for results to have legal significance a third party must verify the identity of those tested and that the samples were not tampered with. Legal paternity tests are still only available online and involve more stringent verification of participant identity and sample quality. Over-the-counter tests may therefore end up being most useful in eliminating the possibility that a certain man is the father, and avoiding pointless court proceedings.
More Information on Genetics & Paternity Testing
For more information on genetics and paternity testing see:
- Washington Post article Dollar Signs in Double Helices
- Identigene Home Paternity Test Website
