Should the father of record be given a DNA test at the time of a baby's birth by law?
According to several studies women give birth to a baby that has not been fathered by the man she names as the father at surprising rates. In some countries the numbers of cases of the father of a baby being a man other than the husband or named father is as high as 30%. Obviously this can be problematic for either party if the relationship ends and child support becomes an issue.
Imagine how much time and money the family courts could save if every father was given a paternity test at the time of a baby's birth. And more importantly imagine how many idiots wouldn't need to appear on the Maury Povich Show to get a paternity test.
So wouldn't it simplify things if every new dad was made to take a DNA test to determine paternity?
19 comments:
That sounds like a good idea. Of course, you could run into problems with women who need multiple men to be tested because they have no clue who the father is.
As a Woman i disagree with that notion. I feel asking me for a paternity test is questioning my intergrity and character. If there were no issues within our relationship prior to such a request, There is most definitely an issue now.
However, As the mother of a male, I agree with all men taking one....
I imagine this would create problems between the couple, married or otherwise, if this was involuntary.
Trust issues that were non existent beforehand, who's paying for the test, i.e. is it covered by insurance, multiple pregnancies..
Too many complications, IMO.
@?
Yeah I guess some people would still need to go on the Maury Povich show. Ha!
@Kingsmomma
"However, As the mother of a male, I agree with all men taking one...."
Yeah it would protect men. I've read stories of men paying child support for years only to find out that they aren't the father.
@Penny Wize
Yeah I thought about the complications. But if the test is compulsory and every father had to take it then it wouldn't be an indictment of the woman's fidelity. Don't you think?
Val,
I have to agree with this concept. There have been many stories of men, who after several years, have come to find out that the child they believed was theirs, was not. That is devastating to both the father and the child. So, yes I agree with it. I personally knew of two men that it happened to - and closer to me, a relative who'd done it. After 18 years when she tried to tell the other guy the truth, he denied the child wants nothing to do with her, and neither does her daughter. So she lost on both fronts.
A lot of hurt can be avoided.
@Daniella
I have heard and read a few of those stories. I have even heard of judges, even after finding out the person thought to be the father wasn't, ordering him to continue to pay child support simply because his name is on the birth certificate.
And then when you add the kids to this and the confusion they may have I think this might be a good idea.
It's state law that if a man is married to a woman at the time of birth, he is considered the "presumed father," and his rights actually override those of the "biological father" Also, in California, if a man is not married to the woman, he has to give consent to have his name placed on the birth certificate.
I suppose this is California's way of trying to weed out some of the confusion...
@Felicia Monique
Yep, that does simplify things a lot for Californians. Interesting. Thanks for the info.
Although it sounds like a good idea, I wonder just how expensive that would be if everyone did it.
Of course, if my love interest gave birth to a Caucasian looking baby, I'd want a paternity test on the spot.
I wouldn't want to end up on Maury.
Okay I just Googled it and some tests are as low as $79, but multiply that out by how many births there are and someone's gonna get rich behind that. Still as a man, I'd like to know. Fortunately my children look like me, but over the years I've seen at least a few babies that didn't look anything like their fathers. Kinda makes you wonder.
Mama's baby, daddie's maybe.
@Reggie
I guess you could just add the cost of the test to the hospital bill? It already costs so much to have a baby that I doubt anyone would notice.
You know - and I know this might sound insane. but I truly believe there would be so many children without fathers if legalized DNA test were given at birth. Cause I honestly believe that most of the babies being brought into this world suspecting to be the children of certain men, are of no relation whatsoever.
You're probably right. I seem to remember going through the itemized bill that was sent to my insurance company after the births of one of my children and we were paying like $15 for two aspirin and $25 for two sanitary napkins.
Maybe no one would notice??!!??
@Don
That's a depressing but probably true thought.
@Reggie
It's a shame isn't it.
@Beauty and Health Editor
Thanks for sharing that. Genetics is indeed a strange thing. Certain genetic features can skip generations or appear all at once in one generation. Pretty amazing stuff.
Also a baby's appearance can change drastically in just a few weeks or months. So that would def be an argument against DNA testing based upon appearance of the child along with the examples you mention.
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