Parentage & Immigration services FAQ

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• Why choose Memorial Blood Centers?

  As one of the oldest and most respected names in parentage testing, Memorial Blood Centers stands apart from others in the field with a reputation for reliability, education, and research. As a fully independent, nonprofit organization, we have maintained accreditation with AABB since 1984 and remain committed to providing excellent customer service at affordable prices.

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• How can I start testing?

  Make your first appointment by calling 612-871-6636 or 1-800-982-9134 (outside of the St. Paul/Minneapolis Metro area). To schedule an appointment, you must have the following information:

  1. Names and birth dates of all parties involved in the testing
  2. A day and time most convenient for you and the location where you would like us to schedule your appointment

  Our staff will work with you to schedule a convenient appointment time, answer questions about the process, discuss procedures and costs, and provide you with payment options.

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• What types of testing are available?

  Paternity routine trio cases
  Using samples collected from a mother, a child, and an alleged father, DNA testing is performed to determine if a man could be the biological father of a child. 
  
  Family studies
  DNA testing is performed to determine biological relationships between a child and possible parent, grandparent, or other family member. Types of family studies include determining whether twins are identical or fraternal, to determine if individuals could be related as full or half siblings, testing Native American families for possible tribal enrollment, and testing for possible family relatedness in matters involving probate.
  
  Immigration
  Memorial Blood Centers works closely with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to provide DNA testing for family unification.
  

• At what age are children tested?

  DNA testing samples can be collected prior to birth, at birth, or after a child is born.

• What type of sample is typically collected from adults and children?

  Buccal cell swab is the preferred collection method for adults and children. Four swabs are used in this process: two swabs are rubbed on the inside of each cheek for approximately 15 seconds. You may eat or drink before sample collection but avoid drinking very hot liquids immediately before this collection procedure.

  Blood samples are no longer required for DNA relationship testing.

• How long does the collection process take?

  Completing all required forms and collecting the samples takes about 15-30 minutes for the mother and child, and about 15 minutes for the alleged father.

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• Is there a difference in accuracy between a blood and buccal swab sample?

  Reliability of DNA testing is based on obtaining DNA from nucleated cells, not from a specific source. DNA from an individual is the same whether it is extracted from blood or buccal cells and will provide identical test results, with rare exception.

• Are the tests accurate?

  Yes. DNA testing is currently the best possible means of determining familial relationships and resolving parentage issues. DNA has been used in courts in the U.S. and around the world. When determining parentage, an alleged parent will either be included with a percentage of at least 99% or will be excluded as the parent of a child.

• How long will it take to get results?

  For most cases, testing will be completed within 10 business days, from the date the last sample is received.

• Will the child and/or mother need to be recollected if the first man is excluded?

  In most cases, we would not need additional samples from either the child or the mother.

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• Can tests be performed when the parties involved live in different states or countries?

  Yes. Through partnerships with collection sites nationwide, and working closely with U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, Memorial Blood Centers can arrange for DNA samples to be collected in a variety of convenient locations for clients in the U.S. and around the world.

• If an alleged father is deceased, can paternity testing still be done?

  Yes. DNA testing can be performed by either testing the deceased individual’s family members or by testing blood or tissue samples taken at the coroner’s office during an autopsy.

• Is the accuracy of a DNA test affected by drug use, illness, or disease?

  No. DNA testing is not affected by drug use, illness or disease. However, DNA testing may be affected if the individual has had a blood transfusion within 90 days of sample collection or has had allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) transplantation.