A DNA maternity test may be required for many different reasons. Cases vary from those searching for birth parents, to those needing proof of a biological relationship for immigration purposes. Working in the exact same way as a DNA paternity test, a maternity test will compare DNA markers of a child and an alleged mother.

In adoption cases, a child may grow up wanting to know the identity of their “real” or birth parents. Some adopted children suffer with identity issues and feel that meeting a birth parent will help solve this. Others may just be curious or need information on a family tree. Whatever the circumstances, once they believe they have located a parent, a DNA maternity test is the only certain way knowing they have found their biological mother.

In donor conception, where a child is born to parents with fertility problems, it can also be necessary to locate a birth parent. As with adopted children, the reason may be to satisfy their curiosity, or for medical reasons such as organ donation. In these instances a match must be made between the recipient and the donor, and more often than not, these are best between biological relations.

Immigration departments are also using DNA maternity tests as part of the application process concerning visas and citizenship. The Canadian Immigration Department endorses DNA testing as one means of providing evidence of a claimed, biological, family relationship. Usually, other forms of evidence will suffice, such as birth certificates or family books; however, DNA testing is a useful option when other evidence is unreliable or unavailable.

What Does The Test Involve?

The test would require the sample of the mother and the child to be sent to the laboratory. The sample of the father is not required to confirm the maternity. The lab would then begin by looking at the 21 different DNA markers in the DNA of each person participating in the test. We all have a pair of each of these markers, one being inherited from the biological mother and one being inherited from the biological father. The test would then make comparisons of these markers between the mother and the child. A child’s markers are made up of 50% from its mother and 50% from its father.

The test would be performed in the exact same way as a paternity test – just swapping the mother for the father in the test. A laboratory will not report a result unless there is at least a 99% probability that the possible mother is or isn’t the biological mother of the child.

Maternity testing vs Maternal lineage Testing

Maternity testing is not the same as maternal lineage testing. In fact, these two would require entirely different DNA tests. Maternity testing is a direct comparison of the genetic profile of the mother and child which can then be used as proof of maternity.

Maternal lineage testing is actually based not on the analysis of nuclear DNA, as a normal maternity test, but on the analysis of mitochondrial DNA. Maternal lineage testing is a means of finding your maternal ancestry and connecting you to your ancient roots. It has nothing to do with a maternity test. Your ancient maternal roots and analysis of your MtDNA can reveal where your ancestors came from and give you some inights into your origins. Why not find out more about your maternal origins?

At easyDNA you will find answers to all questions regarding paternity, siblingship and legal definition. We are equipped to provide full legal and emotional DNA Paternity Test services, using state of the art technology, at competitive rates, on time, every time. We operate through a network of offices covering a wide geographic area. We currently operate in 12 offices around the world.

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