Girl takes 4 boys to do DNA test to acknowledge paternity of children

One day in early July, Ms. Hoa, 28 years old, holding her newborn baby in her arms, went with Mr. Vu to a DNA testing center in Hanoi to do a test to determine the paternity of the child. Previously, Hoa had brought three other men for testing but none of them were the same.

"Mr. Vu and I used to have a relationship, then he went abroad to study. He was the person I least expected, so I brought him for the final test. If he wasn't the father of my child, I really would have no one left," Hoa said.

The sample collected directly at the DNA center was a hair sample with stem cells from the child and Mr. Vu. This sample was quickly preserved and transferred to the laboratory. Colonel Ha Quoc Khanh, a scientific advisor at the center, was the one who directly conducted the DNA analysis for this couple's case.

After the DNA was extracted, the test sample was multiplied and then put into the gene sequencing system, then compared and the results were given. Initially, Colonel Khanh used a 16-locus gene kit for analysis but unexpectedly found a different locus. This does not rule out the possibility that Mr. Vu and the child are not related by blood, but it is also possible that it is due to a mutation.

Ms. Hoa and Mr. Vu went home to wait for the results.

Colonel Khanh continued to expand many more kits with over 30 gene loci for further analysis. Mr. Khanh explained: "When testing, if there is a difference in one gene locus and it is determined that it is not a blood relationship, it is a bit hasty, because any gene system can have mutations." The living environment affects the human genome before we are born. Therefore, to confirm, it is necessary to analyze many more kits with different gene loci to give the most accurate results.

Mutations in the human genome are not uncommon. These gene mutations do not affect body development because they are only analyzed in non-coding regions, which are very valuable for determining bloodline or identifying individuals. The remaining mutations in coding regions are used to determine the cause of disease.

"Depending on the number of gene loci used in the kit, if a kit has 15 gene loci, there must be at least 2-3 gene loci that are different to have enough basis to conclude that there is no blood relationship," said Colonel Khanh.

Three days later, when he received the results, Mr. Vu and the baby were confirmed to have a blood relationship as father and son.

DNA testing is the analysis of DNA samples from individuals to find out each person's genetic data. From there, compare and determine whether individuals in question are actually related by blood.

DNA testing is not only meaningful in terms of personal identification of relatives and bloodlines. This work helps to fully implement the rights and obligations of an individual or organization, such as DNA testing for naturalization, visa, DNA testing for birth certificates, determining custody and child support rights, DNA testing to implement the right to divide assets, inheritance,...

According to Colonel Khanh, one or two incorrect gene loci during the analysis process lead to many cases of incorrect conclusions when determining bloodline DNA. In addition, the expertise of the person reading the results and the collection of test samples also affect the accuracy of the DNA results. Original hair, toenail, fingernail samples... should be collected in sterile conditions, without cross-contamination, and stored in standard conditions of temperature and humidity. Technicians must strictly follow the testing process so as not to affect the final results.

In many difficult cases, such as testing to identify unidentified victims in disasters, the test sample is a small tissue containing many impurities, often decomposed and smelly. Experts then have to spend more effort in the process of extracting and analyzing DNA to find the final result.

Holding the test results in her hand, Ms. Hoa was somewhat happy, because after 4 DNA tests with 4 men, she finally found the father of her child. She shared: "From now on, Mr. Vu and I will take care of and love our child with all our hearts."

*Character names have been changed.