DNA Fingerprinting As a Valid Legal Tool For Establishing Genealogical Affinities: My Concern

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Recently, the hereditary substance in humans and other organisms which is known as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), became popular, especially among many families as a technology that can be used to determine the paternity test, however, the use of DNA technology is more than just paternity test as it can also be used for the purpose of forensics, ancestry tracking, genetic engineering, vaccines, medical tests, and hormones.

Application of DNA for paternity purpose

Like I used to say, nothing has advantages and leaves no disadvantages, despite the advantages of application of DNA for paternity test, however, it has caused a lot of chaos, especially when the result of the test contradicts the expectation. The more I listened to public opinions, especially the victims, the more I see the need for more careful analysis of DNA results before it can become a valid legal tool for establishing genealogical affinities.

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Source: Flickr

A lot of marriage have been dissolved recently due to the paternity confirmation of DNA test, while some are in the public domain, some couples decided not to break the news to the media but resolved to go on different paths without any public awareness. It is indeed, a pathetic situation and advising the father to remain in such a controversial relationship is a difficult task at times.

To expatiate more on the reason why I think a careful analysis of the result should be considered before making a verdict on the paternity of the child via DNA technology, I will like to share my experience below:

Scene 1:

Recently, there was a report of the case of a woman who had a baby with her husband, amidst controversial about the child's father, they both decided to carry out DNA test, the result of the test shows that he was not the father, after the test, it was not easy on both sides, as such series of test were run in different hospitals yet the result remained the same and that prompted the husband to filed for divorce and the man refused to be in the child's life henceforth.

After a while, many months after, it later revealed that based off the DNA results, he was not the father but the uncle of the child which was impossible since the man was her only child. After a more advanced DNA test were carried out again, they found out that the husband was a chimera, which means he had a twin brother that he ate in utero, essentially absorbing his DNA.

So, basically, the unborn twin brother was the father even though the husband bore the child.

Scene 2:

For some months back now, there exist a loving family blessed with children, may be 3 or 4 children, I'm not that sure again, amidst controversy about the true father of one of their children, DNA paternity test was suggested, after a while, they carried out the test and the results revealed that the man was not the true father of the child, it was not easy on both sides, especially, from the mother's side who claimed that the man was the only partner she had sex with throughout her life, some people could not trust the woman again including the husband who had to file for divorce.

The woman was battling with the havoc until when one of her friends advised her to go for DNA maternity test, she obliged and the said test was carried out, to her surprise, the results revealed she was not also the mother of the child, several tests were carried out again to confirm the DNA maternity test, the results of the test revealed that she is not the mother of the child.

After several thought about it, especially, the thought of how she gave birth to the controversial child and what happened after the delivery in the hospital, she started the investigation by getting back to the hospital where delivery of the child took place, after thorough investigation, it was revealed that to her that the child was change during the maternity period in the hospital.

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Final Thought

There are instances of the aforementioned cases above, where the relationship had been ruined before getting to know the truth behind the result of DNA test and that is unhealthy enough, also many couples who don't have deep understanding of using DNA for paternity test had gone astray over false result presentation and analysis.

As such, I'm of the opinion that more careful analysis should be carried out when considering DNA for paternity purpose.

Thanks for being here with me always, I appreciate! I will like to read your healthy comment below.

References

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Fact Sheet,.

Common Uses for DNA Extraction



8 comments
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The cases you mentioned above are just exceptions, not the norm. How often does the issue of chimera or swapped babies happen? Maybe 1 out of a million, I don't know. Nevertheless, before an outright conclusion can be made, all other options would have been exhausted.

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The cases you mentioned above are just exceptions, not the norm. How often does the issue of chimera or swapped babies happen? Maybe 1 out of a million, I don't know

Yes, they are exceptions as you called it but it happened, and the effect of not considering those exception in relation with other factors before making a final conclusion as we have seen in many cases here is brutal and unhealthy.

Glad to read from @stemng .

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Those stories are very interesting ones and are nice illustrative examples of the limitation of the DNA recognition process. The most surprising (funny?) one is that of the baby who ate their twin brother. I didn't know this was even possible!

However, I can easily assume that those stories are exceptions among many generalities where nothing weird happens. What do you think?

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However, I can easily assume that those stories are exceptions among many generalities where nothing weird happens. What do you think?

Yes, you are right! Every technology has its limitation, as such there should be a room for further investigation after DNA results in order to cater for those exception.

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For sure, there's a disadvantage to anything that has advantage, but I believe that science is methods of enquiry, before it's put to law there must be group of researhers that must have arrived to the same proven knowledge.
So in this light, I believe that for most errors that occur in the use of this technology mainly associated with some errors/mistakes in the procedures that produce the results.

That's why genealogical and forensic science is in particular very careful with their samples of study
But the funny part of the errors gotten most times leads to new discovery or research.

I'm pretty sure, that's where the knowledge about Chimerism evolved

Thanks for this blog, I just came across it through @lemouth, just like he said your post really add complement to my recent post

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I'm glad to read your honest feedback on the subject matter, I'll go through your post later

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