How sure are you that your kid is really your kid?

[Leader]

Could be that dad is not real father, report shows
Thu Aug 11, 2005 8:47 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Perhaps one out of every 25 dads could unknowingly be raising another man's child, a finding that has huge health and social implications, according to report released Wednesday.

Exposing so-called paternal discrepancy -- when a child is identified as being biologically fathered by someone other than the man who believes he is the father -- could lead to family violence and the breakup of many families. On the other hand, leaving paternal discrepancy hidden means having the wrong genetic information, which could have health consequences.

A UK-based research team reviewed scientific research dealing with paternity published between 1950 and 2004 and reports that rates of paternal discrepancy range from less than 1 percent to as much as 30 percent.

The investigation also showed that becoming pregnant at a younger age, low socioeconomic status, and being in a long-term relationship rather than being married seem to be linked to greater likelihood of paternal discrepancy.

It is generally believed that rates of paternal discrepancy are less than 10 percent. A paternal discrepancy rate of 4 percent means that one in 25 families could be affected.

However, soaring rates of paternity testing in North America and Europe means more cases of paternal discrepancy will be identified in the years ahead, Professor Mark A. Bellis, from the Center for Public Health at the Liverpool John Moores University, and colleagues point out in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

In the United States, for example, rates of paternity testing more than doubled between 1991 and 2001. The increasing use of genetic testing for diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as in judicial procedures will also yield more opportunities to uncover cases where a father, unbeknownst to him, is not the biological parent.

"Modern genetic techniques continue to open a Pandora's box on hitherto hidden aspects of human sexual behavior," the investigators write.

Exposing such situations will inevitably affect not only deceived dads but also their family and potentially the biological father. Leaving paternal discrepancy undiagnosed, on the other hand, leaves those affected with incorrect genetic information that could prove harmful.

What's urgently needed, the authors say, is guidance on how and when paternal discrepancy should be exposed.

At present, most cases that are inadvertently identified are ignored by whoever uncovers the situation.

"However, in a society where services and life decisions are increasingly influenced by genetics, our approach to paternal discrepancy cannot be simply to ignore this difficult issue but must be informed by what best protects the health of those affected," Bellis and colleagues argue.

SOURCE: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, August 2005.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...REPANCY-DC.XML

[THL]

This is going to sound "anti-woman" or, at the very least, it may sound odd coming out of the mouth of a woman, but:

I read this yesterday and was amazed at how high they are saying the number is. I think that every child should have paternity and blood type testing when they are born - especially if the number really is this high. From my understanding it is just a simple blood test. If I were the father, I would want it to be done.

When my daughter was born she was not even blood typed. I have asked about it and have been told that they only check for this when and if a situation arises that they would need the information. I would like to know her blood type before a situation were to arise.

[sparten]

I really beleive that love is something earned not genetic. Adoptive Paerents and Children love each other with a vigour that is similar to that of biological. If such a case exists, than I think whoever discovers it should ignore it (unless there are potential problems such as heredity diseases.). No point in breaking up a happy family.

[bonehead]

The woman's infidelity does not have to break up the family. It is only fair that the "father" knows the truth.

[THL]

The woman's infidelity does not have to break up the family. It is only fair that the "father" knows the truth.

Exactly where I was going (except the infidelity part). You can be married for years, think you know the person, and find out that you really did not know as much as you thought you did. Happens all the time. If I were a man married to a woman and found out after 5 years or so that the child was not mine - she'd have some serious explaining to do.

Love is developed and it does not matter if it is your biological child or not - my step father is proof of that. But there is a huge difference going into it knowing the child came from someone else and spending years thinking the child is yours and finding out it is not.

As for the infidelity - if she (or he) wants an "open marriage", this should be discussed at the beginning. Both sides need to be in agreement on this from the get go. True that "love" can get a couple past anything, but it sure helps if they are at least reading from the same book on things.

[Asim Aquil]

If there are questions of fidelity, what are you doing, making more of her!?

If it aroused in between the pregnancy, fine maybe. A question in the guy's mind would be, it could never work out for him. If he's right, there'd be a divorce. If he's wrong, she'd be pissed, and you're pretty much set for a divorce.

The culture I've grown up in, or lets say my potential wife's grown up in, accusing a woman of infidelity is like equating her to the sleaziest, lowest, the most eeky form of life, known to the humankind.

If there's no question on a woman's fidelity, I can't imagine the conversation starter that'd lead to a "Honey, let Dr. McCoy, check out if this kids mine, or Kirks"... LOL, "Honey I read it in an article, that we should..."

Naah sounds too much like one of those women's magazines that have articles like "50 reasons why men suck" or something.

[THL]

"50 reasons why men suck"

You saw that one, too, huh? Nicely written, I thought.

If there's no question on a woman's fidelity, I can't imagine the conversation starter that'd lead to a "Honey, let Dr. McCoy, check out if this kids mine, or Kirks"... LOL, "Honey I read it in an article, that we should..."

No, I agree. If there is no question, then, maybe when I said testing every child was a bit extreme. But let's say the husband is questioning the paternity and he says to the Dr and the wife that he wants a test done. It then comes back that he is the father. He is going to have one hell of a time getting himself out of that one.

The culture I've grown up in, or lets say my potential wife's grown up in, accusing a woman of infidelity is like equating her to the sleaziest, lowest, the most eeky form of life, known to the humankind.

Wildly accusing anyone of infidelity is going to be degrading. I would not just accuse my spouse for no reason. That's just asking for trouble and to have that little trust that someone would just accuse their spouse without proof - they need help.

If my spouse were suspecting that I was having an affair - I would want to know. I would not be offended if he came to me and told me why he thought I was with someone else and it was a valid reason. I would want to know why they thought that so we could figure out if it is some bad signal I am giving off, a misunderstanding, or some mental issue on his end. But then again, I am not very good at lying and covering things up, so my spouse would most likely know about the affair before I did.

[Aryan]

Woah...if I found out that one of my kids weren't mine...my wife would be outta the door instantly. Its just yet another reason why marrying a woman is a bad idea...

[Semper Fi]

I hate to say this but, I wouldn't trust a girl if she was pregnant with my kid. I know too many girls that cheat on their boyfriends and husbands. The best bet is to get a DNA test and settle it. The last thing you want to know is you been raising some whore's kid for the last 14 years and you weren't even the father.

[Bill]

"Its just yet another reason why marrying a woman is a bad idea..."

What are the good ideas wrt marriage?

Oh, wait....there aren't any.

[Aryan]

The burka suddenly seems like a good idea....

[THL]

Alright, let's be honest here, folks...women are not the only ones that have affairs. They may be the only ones that get pregnant because of one, but men can be unfaithful as well.

[Aryan]

Guys aren't ever unfaithful to their partners in an emotional sense. They might wanna screw a hot girl when offered on a plate, but thats different to what a woman does when she gets screwed.

This obviously doesnt apply to fat girls, or ugly ones...

[Asim Aquil]

lol, aight, I'm never expecting you to be PC...

anyway, I'm pretty certain girls change partners a lot more often than guys. Coz lets face it (other than the guys that solicit prostitutes), its a lot more easier for an unfaithful girl to get some, than a guy.

I mean for most girls it can be as easy as "screw me please".

[Aryan]

lol, aight, I'm never expecting you to be PC...

anyway, I'm pretty certain girls change partners a lot more often than guys. Coz lets face it (other than the guys that solicit prostitutes), its a lot more easier for an unfaithful girl to get some, than a guy.

I mean for most girls it can be as easy as "screw me please".

From my experience........guys are far more likely to cheat on their girls than vice versa, probably because there's less guilt involved, but ur right, it does happen often.