paternity testing

A paternity test is a laboratory examination, often using DNA or genetic traits, to determine if a specific man is the biological father of a child. While blood group studies cannot definitively prove paternity, they can exclude a man if a child possesses a blood antigen not present in either parent. For instance, if a child is blood group A and both the mother and the potential father are group O, the man cannot be the father.12

By analyzing inherited traits like blood antigens, a child cannot have a characteristic that isn't present in at least one parent. Using multiple blood group systems and other genetic markers, such as HLA, red cell enzymes, and plasma proteins, can establish paternity with a high degree of statistical certainty. The term "paternity" itself can also refer to rights or suits related to a father.23