Parenthood can be a tricky subject and things may not always go as planned. While raising a child is indeed rewarding, there are countless times when one may be aware that she or she has become a parent. Perhaps the other partner suddenly ran away after learning she was pregnant. Or, a woman can claim that a man is the father of her child. These are two instances that require the use of some distinct approaches to find out whether or not one is a biological parent. So, what are the options available?

Social Searches

There are times when a good amount of research can take place to determine the legitimacy of a claim. Should a former (or current) partner state that you are the parent of a child, birth records, time frames and locations can be checked. While these may not provide complete certainty, they can certainly narrow down the possibilities that a claim may be true. Having said this, the most definitive way to be completely sure is through the use of DNA testing.

Paternity and Maternity Testing

Modern science has enabled humanity to advance in leaps and bounds. One of these areas revolves around genetic testing. Also known as providing a genetic “fingerprint”, these tests can accurately determine whether one is the biological mother or father of a child. Often used in legal cases, this evidence is considered to be an incontrovertible proof of parenthood. While there have been questions of reliability, these are now quickly dispelled. For example, there is absolutely zero per cent of a chance that a non-biological parent will falsely test positive. On the contrary, a biological parent will be displayed as nearly one hundred percent (99.99%) accurate. So, these modern methods have all but eliminated the doubt normally associated with tests that had existed a few decades ago.

These are two of the most efficacious ways to determine whether or not you are the biological parent of a child. Thanks to modern levels of scientific accuracy, it has never been easier to approach this life-changing and potentially wonderful event.