Around 80% of paternity tests are carried out without the mother’s samples. This should make it clear that it is not critical to have the mother’s DNA samples in order to complete the tests. The mother’s DNA can be used to provide reinforce the results but it does not mean that results will not be as conclusive without the mother’s samples. However, there are cases where the matches between loci on the child and father’s DNA results as inconclusive; in this case it is useful to have to mother’s genetic profile to work with and compare with that of the child’s to exclude her share of genetic inheritance. With the mother’s sample we can see exactly which markers come from the mother and which genetic markers come from the father.
