4% of fathers unwittingly increase the child of another
Around one in 25 parents unknowingly may raise another mans child, shows research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The implications are enormous, say the authors, with the increasing reliance of judicial and health systems on DNA profiling and genetic testing, such as organ donation and criminal investigation. The authors based their conclusions on a wide range and international scientific publications and conference abstracts for the period between 1950 and 2004.Their results show that the rate of paternal discrepancy - where a father is not the biological father of his son - from less than 1% to a maximum of 30%. It is generally thought that the prices are down 10%, ie at a rate of 4%, that about one in 25 families could be affected. But the increased
use of genetic testing for diagnosis, treatment and identification is likely to increase the rates of paternal discrepancy, say the authors suggest that to understand the need, the true prevalence even more pressing.They point to other data, including rising rates of paternity testing in North America and Europe. United States, the rates of more than 310 490 1991-2001 doubled. In Britain, about a third of pregnancies are unplanned and approximately one in five women in long-term relationships has had an affair, with similar figures reported from other developed countries. And now there is some help to support services for those affected and little guidance on the disclosure of paternal discrepancy for the work in the health or criminal justice.
In a society whereservices and life decisions are increasingly influenced by genetics, our approach to [paternal discrepancy] can not simply ignore the difficult question, the authors conclude.