If you have a reason to question whether or not your are the father of a baby, then you need to have legal paternity testing completed. This is the only sure way to know for sure if you fathered a child. While this particular test can be costly, it is not difficult to perform. In fact, you can do the test at home with a kit and send for the results from a lab. The following information will walk you through the process of performing a paternity test at home.

1- Before you decide to have a paternity test done, you will need to have a good idea of who the father is, this will greatly diminish your out of pocket expenses. The most effective way to know who to test for paternity is to think back to the beginning of your last period, add two weeks to determine when you ovulated and who you had intercourse with within that time frame. This will be the man who should be tested for paternity.

2- To perform the legal paternity testing, you will need DNA material from both the baby and from the alleged father. This is most often gathered using a buccal swab of the mouth or through a blood sample. However, do-it-yourself kits use the buccal swab to get the needed material. This swab is conducted by simply placing the included swab into the mouth and performing a quick swipe of the inside of the cheek.

3- Once the samples have been taken, they are sent into a lab, in the included envelope. The lab then processes the DNA material that was collected from the man in question as well as from the baby for possible matches. When the testing is complete, the results are sent back to you; however, you may also be given a number to call for results early.

4- This type of legal paternity testing can conclusively prove a man to be the father at a 99% accuracy rate. It can also prove that any said man is not the father of a baby with a 100% accuracy rate. These results will hold up in court for issues of child support and custody.

5- It is important to weigh all of the potential outcomes of this test before you decide to have it conducted. Legal paternity testing can lead to child support issues, custody and visitation being put upon you and your child. If this is not the outcome you are looking for, it may be wise to carefully think about what is to gain before having the test performed. However, if this test is right for you, the man and most importantly the baby, then the at home test kit would be a good solution for your situation.