How Soon Can You DNA Test a Baby After Birth?

The answer to how soon can you DNA test a baby after birth is whenever you feel comfortable obtaining a DNA sample from your baby. 

All you need to do is obtain a ⁠DNA test from a DNA testing company that uses a cheek swab. 

Types of DNA Samples: Which One Is Best for Baby?

There are many ways to obtain a DNA sample:

1. Blood
2. Saliva
3. Cheek Swab

While you could get a DNA test with a blood sample, you can get the same results from less invasive methods. 

A baby does not produce enough saliva to fill a test tube. DNA companies such as ⁠23andMe only use a test tube to obtain a DNA sample. This means they would not be a good option for genetic testing on a baby. 

DNA testing companies that include a stick with a piece of cotton on the end of it (like a Q-tip) is the best choice for a baby DNA test. 

How to Obtain a DNA Sample from a Baby

All you have to do to obtain a DNA sample from a baby is to swab the inside of the cheek with the cotton part of the stick in the kit. This removes enough DNA to have it tested.

Place the stick into the tube, seal, and mail it to the lab. 

Within a few weeks, you’ll receive a notification that the results are ready. 

Genetic Testing on a Baby: Why Parents Do It

Parents decide to do genetic testing on their babies for many reasons.

• The parents had a ⁠carrier screening, which revealed an increased risk for genetic disorders. Testing the baby can show whether he/she inherited those same risks. 
• ⁠Genetic testing for autism and other developmental disorders can ensure the child receives the medication and therapies needed to mitigate long-term effects. 
• ⁠Genetic testing during pregnancy revealed concerns that parents want to look further into after the baby is born. 

Doing a DNA test on your baby is a wise choice. It can uncover a lot of information about your baby’s genetic makeup, so you can look into preventive medicines, if necessary. 

Baby DNA Tests for Paternity Information

Many people only want to know how soon can you DNA test a baby after birth to confirm paternity. While this is something that is important, there’s so much more that can be derived from DNA data. Unfortunately, paternity DNA tests only test a very small amount of DNA. This means the results cannot be used for anything else, including knowing the risk for diseases, autism, and many other conditions that could develop over the course of the baby’s life. 

The good news is that DNA tests that test more of the genome can be used for paternity AND health information. For example, our ⁠Ultimate Genome Sequencing service test the entire genome. The data that comes from it can be used to confirm paternity and then also discover many possible predispositions your baby has inherited. 

Learn more about ⁠genetic testing for baby, so you can use raw DNA data to its fullest potential.