Maternity testing can also be carried out.This is less common, because at least during childbirth, except in the case of a pregnancy involving embryo transfer or egg donation, the mother’s identity is clearly evident. Some women who have used IVF wish to check that their own eggs or their partner’s sperm are contained in their child’s DNA and there has not been a laboratory mix up of gametes.

A paternity test is conducted to prove paternity, that is, whether a man is the biological father of a child.This may be relevant in view of rights and duties of the father.DNA testing is accepted worldwide as the most accurate method of determining paternity. In Australia it is believed that at least 1 in 5 men who are uncertain about the paternity of their children will have their uncertainty confirmed by paternity DNA testing.