Understanding Your DNA Test Results

Understanding Your DNA Testing Results

Paternity Testing Results

In a paternity test, whether for personal knowledge or court admissibility, there are three possible outcomes.

    • Excluded. The probability of paternity will be 0.0%. This means that the alleged father is NOT the biological father of the child. This occurs when an alleged father’s DNA does not match on at least 22 or the 24 tested genetic markers.

 

    • Cannot be excluded. The probability of paternity will be at 99% or greater. This means that the alleged father is, in all reasonable probability, the biological father. 99.9999 and higher is the greatest probability that science can provide for proof of relationship. In legal cases, most courts accept a probability of 97% and greater as proof that the tested male is the biological father.

 

    • Inconclusive. This is extremely rare and occurs in cases where insufficient DNA has been provided for one or more of those being tested. This result would require a re-submission of DNA samples.

 

Sibling Testing Results

In either a full or half sibling test, we provide two conclusions for each case.

    • Conclusion (Part 1) is to be taken as the testing results if the two alleged sibling share at least one biological parent. We always perform testing to determine if two people testing are full siblings prior to determining if they are half siblings. If the conclusion here shows a probability that two siblings are more likely FULL siblings then they share both parents. If the probability is more likely HALF siblingship, then that means at the most they may share only one parent but that the probability of half siblingship now must be examined. If this result shows a probability of HALF siblingship, it does not mean that both parties are half siblings, only that they cannot be FULL. The determination as to whether they are HALF or UNRELATED is found in the second part of the Conclusion.

 

    • Conclusion (Part 2) is to be taken as the result of the testing if the two alleged siblings do not share a common parent when testing. If the Conclusion (Part 1) indicates a probability of a FULL sibling relationship, then this portion of the Conclusion (Part 2) indicates the probability of the possible HALF sibling relationship. Generally a probability of 80% or greater is considered a conclusive result.

 

If you wish to add an additional sibling or other family member to compare against the existing genetic profiles, you may do so by going to our Add A Person Page.

 

Kinship Testing: Grandparent/Avuncular (Aunt/Uncle) Results

The results will be stated clearly as the probability of either being biologically related or probability of being unrelated. The standard accepted benchmark for conclusive relationship is 80% or greater. In some circumstances, although it is uncommon to need to do so using 44 markers, it may be necessary to test an additional alleged family member to draw a more conclusive result.

If you wish to add an additional person to compare against the existing genetic profiles (aunt, uncle, biological mother, additional grandparent, additional child), you may do so by going to our Add A Person Page.

 

Y-STR Testing: Male Linage Results

If the testing results show they cannot be of the same male linage then there is no paternity of the alleged father if performing this test for paternity purposes.

If the testing indicates that they cannot be excluded from being of the same male line, and if being done to establish paternity, they the probability indicated is the likelihood that the alleged father is the biological father

If you wish to add an additional suspected male family member to compare against the existing genetic profiles, you may do so by going to our Add A Person Page.