Coping with Unexpected Parenthood

The DNA paternity test is the most accurate scientific test available to prove fatherhood. But as a result, more men are finding out that they are fathers and are left with their whole world turned upside down. As well as the financial responsibility of parenthood, a DNA test can cause unexpected emotional turmoil.

A Child Out of the Blue

For fathers who already have a family and who think their lives are complete, it can be a complete shock to discover a child they never knew they had. Obviously paternity, unlike maternity, can go undetected if the pregnancy was a result of a brief liaison or the mother hid the true identity of the father for whatever reason. Even married couples can receive a shock as a result of a secret affair, and a paternity test can bring something left in the past right back into the present reality with a deafening thud.

The Rise of the Paternity Test

The rise of the paternity DNA test and the increasing popularity, affordability and availability of the DNA test means that perhaps more children are stepping forward asking for DNA samples from men they believe could be their daddy. Often the children who do a test to locate their biological fathers are grown up themselves – and the news can leave many unaware fathers in a state of shock.

Famous DNA

Children of famous or unusual fathers who have been in the media spotlight tend to have an easier time tracking them down. To do a paternity test, you must first get a DNA sample. If the DNA samples fit, the paternity DNA test will give a 99.99% accurate result. One such story was Glenda Jackson’s ex-husband, Roy. Because he was married to the famous actress turned politician, his daughter was able to locate him. She had been adopted and once she’d managed to trace her birth mother, she was told that her father had married Glenda Jackson. All it took was a letter to Glenda Jackson’s agent for a meeting to take place.

An Emotional Turmoil

Meetings with estranged fathers can be difficult however. A paternity test may prove they are flesh and blood, but without a shared past, it can be awkward and even unpleasant. Adopted children may feel resentful – a sense of abandonment and anger. And some children who have discovered their father through a test may feel disappointed – after all if they’ve gone to the trouble of locating their lost father and paying for a paternity DNA test, they have a lot of expectation and hope.

The DNA paternity test and rise of family forensics mean that it’s expected that men discovering they have grown up children will become increasingly common.