Specimen Collections

Type of Specimens Tested

PTC must receive a sample of your DNA in order to perform your paternity test.  In a standard trio test, we collect DNA specimens from the mother, the child and the alleged father.

Most often we use buccal swabs (short stemmed, sterile cotton Q-tips), rubbed up and down on the inside of the cheek of your mouth, to collect loose skin cells.  We use two swabs on each side of the mouth.  We test the DNA in those cells.

We can also test DNA from blood, and from other body fluids and body tissues.  Please call us if you have questions about types of samples that can be used, or to discuss any unusual samples that you need tested.  Your DNA is the same throughout your body so, as long as we are able to obtain DNA from the specimen, the accuracy and outcome of your test are not affected by using different types of specimens to obtain the DNA sample. 

Setting up the Specimen Collection

If you want your paternity test to be admissible in court, or usable for other official purposes such as Social Security benefits or health insurance, then you will need to have your DNA specimens collected at a local collection facility, which will be arranged by PTC.  For a separate fee, that facility will collect your specimens and will follow chain of custody procedures that assure that your test will be acceptable for official purposes.

Once you set up your paternity test with PTC, we will make a specimen collection appointment for you.  Your specimen may be collected at any of over 2,000 facilities throughout the United States.  We will be able to obtain an appointment at a facility near you.  During your test set-up, the PTC Client Services Representative will identify a facility convenient to you.  You will give PTC’s Client Services Representative a couple of possible times that are convenient for you to go in for your specimen collection, and PTC will make your appointment. 

It is not necessary to collect all parties to the test at the same time, or at the same facility, or even in the same city or state.

Paying for the Specimen Collection

Most often you will be able to pay the collection facility directly for your specimen collection.  In some cases, the facility insists on billing PTC for the specimen collections, and in that case the client pays PTC rather than the collection facility.

Specimen Collection in the Privacy of your Home

In many parts of the country, it is possible to pay a little extra to have someone come to your home to perform the DNA specimen collection.  The full chain of custody procedures would be followed, and the test would still be able to be used for official purposes.

On the other hand, if you do not want a test that can be used in court or for other official purposes, then you can collect the specimens at home yourself, and avoid the cost of the specimen collection process.  PTC will send you a specimen collection kit with instructions. 

However, if you collect the specimens yourself then there will be no chain of custody for the specimens, and PTC will have no way to prove whose specimens they actually are.  Because of that, if you collect the specimens yourself, the paternity report from PTC will refer only to the first names of the people being tested, and will state that there is no independent verification of the source of the specimens.  If at a later time you determine that you need an official test, then you will have to pay for another paternity test.