Question: What Kinds of Paternity Tests Are There?
Answer: There are two basic types of paternity tests. The first is called the PCR (which stands for Polymerase chain reaction). This test is a fairly recent development in DNA testing and the results are relatively quick to determine (usually within 3 days to a week). In the PCR test, a swab is used to collect a DNA sample from the inside of a person's cheek (called a buccal swab).
The second type of test is called a RFLP analysis. RFLP stands for Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. This is a more traditional DNA test; the one usually used in crime labs to help identify suspects in a crime. This test requires a larger sample of DNA, and that usually takes the form of a blood draw. However, because of recent technology advances in DNA testing, a buccal swab sample has been used in RFLP analysis, and may become over time the preferred method for DNA paternity testing.
