Helping Us Improve The Outcome Of A Sibling Test
The genetic analysis involved in determining if individuals are related as full siblings (eg brother to sister) or half siblings (eg half brother to half sister) is more complex than in paternity testing. Because of this, in some relationship cases, our laboratory will not be able to provide a conclusive result.
Without the DNA of a parent, it is not possible to definitively exclude a sibling relationship between two individuals. At best, we can calculate the relative likelihood that two individuals are related as half siblings. But because half sibs are less closely related to each other than full sibs, it can be difficult to distinguish them from unrelated individuals.
What information should you provide to help us increase the chance of getting an accurate DNA test result?
We like to give you an idea of the likely outcome of your test before you take your samples. So that we can do this, we ask you to let us know:
| the specific biological relationship you are trying to determine |
| the name, age and sex of each person giving a sample |
| the availability for testing of other family members |
| a sketch of the complete family structure as you understand it. |
Once we have this information, we can quickly determine if testing is likely to be successful. Sometimes we ask for clarification on issues. We may also call for additional family members to provide a sample if we think the genetic profile of these people would help get a more conclusive DNA test result.
Find out more
Read about the science behind relationship testing
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