Saturday, March 29, 2008

The at-home paternity test

What should you do if you're a man, and you've slept with a woman, but you are sure that the baby she got 9 months after you slept together isn't yours? Or if you're a woman, and you don't exactly know who the father of your child is, but you would really like for someone to pay the child support? A common problem in the US! Until now, people had two options. The most obvious one is going to the hospital. Unfortunately, most people that would need such a test don't have enough money to go there, so they would go to The Maury Povich Show where they would be faced with the paternity on TV: “You aaaaaaaaare…………… NOT the father!” after which the man stands up and makes a winners-dance move.

Until last week this was the situation. Now, you can buy an at-home paternity test for $29 at Rite-Aid. This kit contains three swabs, which you should use inside the mouth of the mother, the father and the baby to gain a DNA sample. You can then return these swaps (just place them in the postage-paid return envelope), after which the DNA is being analyzed and you will receive the result in 3-5 business days via mail, e-mail or a secured internet connection. Finally - people don't have to go to expensive hospitals or go to embarrassing TV shows anymore (like this one below)!