Prenatal paternity tests are available through specialized DNA testing laboratories, OB-GYN offices, and blood-draw facilities partnered with accredited labs. The most common option today is a noninvasive blood test that can be done as early as 8 weeks into pregnancy, requiring only a standard blood draw from the mother and a cheek swab from the potential father. You don’t need a referral for most tests, though how and where you get tested depends on whether you need results for personal knowledge or for legal purposes.
Types of Prenatal Paternity Tests
Three methods exist, but one dominates the market because it carries no risk to the pregnancy.
The noninvasive prenatal paternity (NIPP) test is a blood draw from the mother’s arm, performed after 8 weeks of pregnancy. It works because fragments of the baby’s DNA circulate in the mother’s bloodstream. The lab analyzes over 300,000 genetic markers from this blood sample, using algorithms to separate the fetal DNA from the mother’s and compare it to the potential father’s sample. Despite the fetal DNA making up less than 20% of the total DNA in the mother’s blood, this approach achieves effectively 100% accuracy.
The chorionic villus sampling (CVS) method is an invasive procedure done between 10 and 13 weeks. A needle or catheter collects a small tissue sample from the placenta. Amniocentesis is another invasive option, performed between 15 and 20 weeks, where a needle draws fluid from the amniotic sac. Both carry a pregnancy loss risk between 0.2% and 1%. Because the noninvasive blood test is equally accurate with zero physical risk, invasive methods are rarely used solely for paternity anymore.
Where to Go for Testing
For an NIPP test, you typically work directly with a DNA testing company that coordinates the sample collection. The two main paths look like this:
- Accredited DNA labs with local offices: Companies like DDC (DNA Diagnostics Center) operate collection sites in cities across the U.S., including Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Minneapolis, and their headquarters in Fairfield, Ohio. Other accredited labs have locations in New York City, Boston, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and many smaller cities.
- Partner collection sites: Many labs contract with local clinics, phlebotomy centers, or doctor’s offices to draw the mother’s blood sample. You order the test through the lab, and they direct you to a nearby facility for the blood draw. The potential father’s cheek swab can often be collected at the same location or mailed separately.
The AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies) maintains a public directory of accredited relationship testing facilities. This is the standard accreditation body for DNA paternity labs in the United States. Their online list includes dozens of facilities sorted by name, city, and state, and any listed facility can arrange sample collection even if they don’t have a physical office near you.
Your OB-GYN can also order and coordinate a prenatal paternity test, though many people go directly to a testing company without involving their prenatal care provider.
Legal Tests vs. Personal Knowledge Tests
Before you book a test, decide whether you need results that hold up in court. This determines where and how the samples are collected.
A “peace of mind” test is simpler. You order it, provide samples, and get results. It answers your question but cannot be used in custody disputes, child support cases, or immigration proceedings. A legally admissible test requires chain of custody, meaning an authorized third party witnesses and documents every step of sample collection, storage, and transport so that the results can be traced and verified by a court. This usually means both parties must appear in person at an approved collection site, show government-issued ID, and have their samples collected by a trained professional.
If there’s any chance you’ll need the results for legal proceedings, choose the legal test from the start. Retesting later costs the same amount and delays everything.
Cost and Insurance Coverage
A noninvasive prenatal paternity test typically costs around $1,600 out of pocket. Health insurance does not cover paternity testing, so you’ll pay the full amount yourself. Some labs offer payment plans.
If you were to pursue invasive testing instead, costs are significantly higher. CVS runs around $3,050 on average, and amniocentesis averages $4,100 without insurance. Insurance may cover CVS or amniocentesis when performed for medical reasons (genetic screening due to age or family history), but not when done solely for paternity. The total range for invasive procedures spans roughly $1,000 to $7,200 depending on the facility and your location.
For most people, the NIPP blood test is the clear choice: it’s the least expensive, the least invasive, and available the earliest.
What the Process Looks Like
After choosing a lab and ordering the test, the mother has a standard blood draw at a clinic or collection site. This is the same type of arm draw used in routine prenatal bloodwork. The potential father provides a cheek swab, either at the same appointment or at a separate location. Some labs allow the father’s swab to be collected at home and mailed in for peace-of-mind tests, but legal tests require witnessed collection for both parties.
Results for NIPP tests generally arrive within 5 to 7 business days after the lab receives all samples, though turnaround varies by company. Some labs offer expedited processing for an additional fee. You’ll receive a report stating either that the tested man is the biological father or that he is excluded as the father.
State-Specific Considerations
Most states allow you to order a prenatal paternity test without restrictions, but a few have specific rules. New York, for instance, requires DNA testing to be performed through state-certified laboratories. If you’re in New York and need a legally recognized test, contact the Office of Child Support Services for a referral to an approved lab. Some states also have rules about who can request testing and whether both parties must consent.
For immigration-related paternity cases, USCIS requires testing through an AABB-accredited facility. All labs on the AABB’s public directory meet this standard, and many have international partner sites in countries including Canada, Jamaica, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic.