| DNA tests are becoming more and more popular but | | | | consider where the relationship is at currently and how |
| should you have a DNA test? Before deciding to have | | | | you expect the DNA test to change the relationship. It |
| a DNA test there are a number of things you need to | | | | can be an extremely traumatic experience to discover |
| consider. In this article we will be discussing some | | | | that what you thought was the relationship between |
| things you should consider before having a paternity | | | | you and someone is actually not the case. Visit for |
| test, an ancestry DNA test or similar DNA tests. | | | | more information on DNA testing. |
| Firstly, if you are considering a paternity DNA test, think | | | | What about genealogical and ancestry DNA tests? If |
| first about the situation at the moment; how old is the | | | | you are considering going for an ancestry DNA test |
| child now and what is your current relationship to the | | | | you should think about how the results could influence |
| child? If the child has not yet been born is a newborn | | | | your life as well and how you would feel about |
| baby and you have not yet been able to bond with the | | | | obtaining different results. In one case someone who |
| child because of uncertainty as to whether you are | | | | thought they were African American discovered that |
| the father or not then having a paternity DNA test | | | | they actually had no African blood in them but a |
| may be the solution for you and these tests can help | | | | mixture of other races. Having lived their whole life as |
| cement family relationships that are not yet established | | | | an African American this presented many problems - |
| by confirming who the father is. If, however, the child is | | | | who were they really and how were they going to |
| older and you have already formed a relationship with | | | | react to this sudden change in their identity? These are |
| the child as its father then paternity DNA testing can | | | | questions that you need to consider when considering |
| actually have negative consequences; what happens if | | | | going for an ancestry DNA test is how it could change |
| you suddenly discover you are not the father? How | | | | your identity. |
| will this affect your future relationship with the child? | | | | DNA tests can be very useful and informing, they |
| You will need to think through these issues carefully | | | | have many benefits and in certain circumstances can |
| before deciding to go for a paternity DNA test. | | | | bring families closer together, help build a family tree or |
| These factors also need to come into consideration if | | | | contribute to our lives in other ways; but DNA tests |
| you are testing for other family relationships - for | | | | can also be destructive and it is important when |
| example grandparent DNA tests, sibling DNA tests, etc. | | | | considering whether to have a DNA test that you take |
| No matter what the relationship it is important to | | | | these factors into consideration. |