It’s sometimes impossible to tell whether a child is yours without doing a DNA test. Research has shown that the closer the couple are during pregnancy, the more the child resembles the father. For this reason, it’s easy to assume the child is yours when he’s really not.
Many people assume that the only way to determine paternity in this day and age is through a DNA test. However, there are other ways to help find out whether someone is really the biological father of the baby. These methods can come in handy when a DNA test is not an option. Here’s how to determine paternity without a DNA test.
1. Eye Color, Hair Color, And Earlobe Test
Sometimes it’s possible to determine paternity by observing the traits of the alleged father. You can also use an Identigene calculator. Identigene is a kit sold at Walmart and other stores. It is a multi-trait paternity calculator that uses the hair color, ear lobe, and eye color traits to determine whether someone is really the father of the baby. The test is based on a theory about genes and how they are inherited by the baby from the biological parents.
2. Conception Date
The conception date can be determined by tracking the menstrual cycle of the mother. Done right, it’s a very good predictor of paternity since you know who you had sexual intercourse with at the time. Start by marking the date you first began to bleed from your last period. You enter into the fertile time of your cycle 11 days after the date your last period began. Count 10 days from the first day of your fertile window. This marks the end of your fertile period if you have regular periods. Finally, get an ultrasound done to confirm the week of conception. An ultrasound done in the first trimester or the beginning of the second is very accurate at estimating the week of conception. Does the ultrasound match with what you established with the menstrual calendar? If it does, then the person you had sexual intercourse with during that time is the probable father. If you had sex with more than one person, then it’s not possible to tell using this method and you have to do a DNA test.
3. Genetic Behavior
Genetic data passed down from parent to child can give you an inkling as to who the father of the baby is. A baby picks up certain behavioral traits from their parents, which become more pronounced as the baby grows. You will need to be keen to pick up on this. However, this is not as effective as getting a DNA test done.
4. Spiritual and Emotional Connection
One thing many people take for granted is the spiritual and emotional connection fathers have with their children. Sometimes, all you need is your gut feeling to tell you whether the baby is yours or not. You may not be able to explain it but it will be apparent. If you’re in touch with your spiritual side then it will be easy to discern the paternity of the child. But this is always a shot in the dark and you may want to talk to a CRI genetics professional about getting a paternity test.
5. Blood-Type Test
Before the advent of DNA testing, blood-type tests were the standard test for paternity. But the best you can do with this test is to eliminate a potential father. You cannot conclusively determine who the actual father is.
This test relies on the ABO blood typing system where you are either a blood type A, B, AB, or O. the genes that code for blood type are inherited so you can easily eliminate a father based on the blood type of the child. For example, it is not possible for a mother with type B blood to have a baby with type AB blood with a father who is type O. The true father must have the gene for the A antigen.
The problem with this test is that you cannot rule out the possibility that the mother had sexual intercourse with multiple men with the same blood type.
The table below illustrates the possible blood type combinations:
6. The Feet
You can tell a lot about someone by observing a person’s feet. It is also possible to eliminate a potential father by observing the baby’s feet, and particularly their toes. Their toes should fall into one of the following categories:
- Egyptian toes
These feature a tall and strong big toe. The toe is the tallest of the five toes. From the big toe, the rest of the toes descend gradually in size in a seemingly 45-degree angle.
- Roman Toes
The big toe and the adjacent two toes are the same length. Only the little toe and the adjacent toe have a sloping pattern.
- Greek Toes
The big toe is shorter than the second toe. The third toe is slightly shorter than the big toe. The rest descend in a 45-degree angle.
- Germanic Toes
The big toe is longer than the rest. All the other toes are the same size.
- Celtic Toes
These toes look like a jigsaw puzzle.
Compare the baby’s feet to those of the mother and potential father. It is not possible for the baby to have Roman toes when both the mother and father have Greek toes. The baby will take after one of the parents.
