The prospective father of a child may not be available for DNA testing for a wide variety of reasons, including military deployment, incarceration, living in another state or country, and death. When this is the case, grandparentage DNA testing can provide a viable alternative, assuming the grandparents are the biological parents of the supposed father. Grandparentage testing provides a variety of benefits, including family reunions and legal guardianship for underage children in foster care. 

What Is the Accuracy Of Grandparentage DNA Testing Based On?

Availability of Both Grandparents

While grandparentage tests are not as accurate as paternity tests because grandparents do not share as much DNA with their grandchildren, they can still provide accurate results. Testing facilities strongly recommend testing both grandparents because it provides more DNA samples to compare with the child’s. If the child is a boy, testing becomes easier because males pass specific Y chromosomes from fathers to sons. If the child has the same Y chromosome as his grandfather, they are undoubtedly related.

Grandparentage testing is known as “Missing Parent DNA Testing” because the combination of the grandparents’ DNA generally provides enough information to replicate the potential father’s profile.

Testing the Mother

Testing the mother proves helpful when only one grandparent is available. Maternal DNA samples determine which strains come exclusively from the mother, something that is not immediately apparent in a grandparentage-only test. By eliminating all DNA from the mother, the child’s DNA gets compared to the paternal grandparent to determine if there is a match. DNA testing facilities routinely recommend testing the mother regardless of whether both grandparents are available to increase result accuracy.

If grandparentage DNA testing is right for your family, contact AccuDNA in St. Louis, MO. The locally-owned, affordable, and accurate relationship testing facility has served the community since 2005 and provides paternity, siblingship, grandparentage, and avuncular services. Results are always confidential. Hours are flexible and mobile services are available. Call (314) 845-9997 to set up an appointment or visit the service online for more about tests. Get more information and tips on Facebook.