Home DNA testing allows you the flexibility of collecting your own DNA samples at a place and time that you choose. Nowadays, an easy-to-use DNA collection kit is available and contains everything you need, to collect DNA samples. A home test kit contains illustrated instructions and a consent form to be filled out with information about each family member providing a sample. The basic Home DNA Test Kit is intended as a discrete way whereby families could resolve questions without involving outside parties.
Home DNA test kits allow for DNA testing. All you need to do is print the DNA test documents, use cotton swabs to collect DNA samples, and then mail the specimen to a trusted laboratory for testing. After receiving a home DNA test kit, you need to complete the sample collection to be tested by following a few simple steps:
Step 1: Label Swab Envelope
Remove the envelope with buccal swabs from the collection kit. The envelopes must be labeled as father, child, child2, mother, and so on to distinguish the samples. The samples must be placed in the corresponding labeled envelopes. You also need to provide the information requested for, which is necessary for a few statistical calculations. It is important that the information provided is authentic for accurate results.
Step 2: Collect Cheek Swab.
Cut open the plastic wrapper from the cottony swab tip and pull one swab without touching the swab tip. Open your mouth wide open and take the swab inside your mouth. Once inserted in mouth, you need to rub the swab firmly back and forth, up and down on the inside of the cheek. Keep in mind that you need to collect enough cheek cells on the swab. Rotating the swab while rubbing against the inside of the cheek makes the process more effective. If the specimen is inadequate, you may have to recollect the sample, thus delaying the results. Use 2 swabs for the right cheek and 2 swabs for the left cheek for sufficient specimen collection.
Step 3: Place Swab in Swab Envelope.
After collecting the cheek cells, place the swab directly from the mouth into the envelope labeled for the respective person. Seal the envelope.
Step 4: Repeat
Repeat this process for all the test participants.
Buccal sampling takes about 45 minutes for 3 people, with an additional 60-90 minutes for the swabs to dry. Blood sampling takes about 5 minutes for 3 people. The samples are then returned to labeled tubes and containers. Once the sample collection is completed for all the test participants, you need to place the envelopes back in the DNA Collection Kit. Make sure the Client Identification Form is completed and signed. The samples, plus the paper forms, are placed in the included prepaid mailing envelope and sent by mail back to a laboratory. On an average, the results get ready in 5 working days after the receipt of samples. Some laboratories provide results in a shorter turnaround time of 3 working days or less for an additional charge. In paternity tests, the results produced show whether the alleged father is either "excluded" or is "not excluded" as the biological father.
DNA testing is the most accurate method available for determining paternity, as it traces the pattern of inheritance for separate regions of the genetic material (chromosomes). Home Paternity Test provides 100% accuracy, with up to 99.99% probability of paternity or 0% exclusion of paternity.
Submitted by M T on June 1, 2010 at 08:28