Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary for a father in Kentucky to establish paternity in order to exercise his rights to child custody and visitation. There are a number of different types of paternity tests, some of which can be undergone even before the child is born.
One type of prenatal paternity test is amniocentesis. In an amniocentesis, the physician inserts a needle into the mother's womb through her midsection. Amniotic fluid is then removed for the paternity test. This type of prenatal paternity test can take place during the second trimester.
Another type of prenatal paternity test is non-invasive prenatal paternity testing. This may be the best means to determine whether a man is the child's father prior to the child's birth. NIPP tests the child's DNA through a draw of the mother's blood and then compares it to the father's blood using a proprietary test. NIPP has an accuracy rate of 99.9 percent. It can take place once the woman has been pregnant for eight weeks.
A third type of prenatal paternity test is chorionic villus sampling. In this procedure, a needle is drawn through the woman's cervix vaginally to remove a sample of chorionic villi. The chorionic villi have the same DNA as the child. This test can take place between the woman's tenth and thirteenth weeks of pregnancy.
These are only some ways that paternity can be established. In some circumstances, doctors are able to test for paternity prior to the child's birth, but in other circumstances, testing will not take place until after the child is born. Either way, by establishing paternity, important decisions regarding child custody and visitation can be made that protects a father's rights and preserves the best interests of the child