Aunt & Uncle Parentage DNA Test
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The uncle and aunt parentage DNA test, also called the avuncular test, determines the probability of kinship between a child (nephew or niece) with an aunt or uncle .
The test is a genetic comparison in order to establish a biological parentage link on the side of a presumed father or mother.
Avuncular testing can be done with buccal samples and discrete samples. Those tested include a child and an aunt or uncle.
What is an Avuncular test?
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The Avuncular DNA test can be performed with:
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- Saliva samples (Sterile buccal swabs)
- Non-standard samples : Like hair, nails, toothbrush...
Be careful, you must follow the instructions and respect the conditions so that the samples provide enough genetic information for your test.
What type of sample is used for the test?
You can do an avuncular DNA test at home in a private setting . The order can be made directly on the internet from your home in order to receive the sampling equipment at home.
In addition, it is still impossible to obtain a DNA test in a pharmacy, moreover only a laboratory with genetic analysis equipment and accredited by international standards can provide the result for an avuncular DNA test.
How to do a DNA test between Nephew/Niece and Aunt or Uncle?
Avuncular Test Participants
A child inherits exactly half of his genes from his biological parent (father or mother) and the biological parent shares about half of his genes in common with his brother and sister (uncle and aunt). Thus the child (boy or girl) has approximately a quarter of his genes in common with his uncle and his aunt .
Based on the number of genetic matches, the lab calculates the statistical probability that the alleged aunt or uncle is biologically related to the child. To carry out this test, the uncle and the aunt must share the same biological parents as the presumed father or mother to do the DNA test.
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Because even if they share the same biological parents, the uncle or the aunt is not genetically identical to his brother and his sister. On average, the avuncular test allows the laboratory to determine only half of the genes of the alleged parent.
- The aunt must be a full sister of the parent sought
If the aunt participates in the test, the uncle will not participate, it's one or the other
For a maternity search between the aunt and her nephews, it is advisable to use:
the mitochondrial DNA test which in this case is much more reliable
- One or more children can participate in the test (boy - girl)
The children can be full sisters and brothers, or half-brothers and half-sisters.
- The uncle must be the full brother of the parent sought
If the uncle participates in the test, the aunt will not participate, it's one or the other
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For a paternity search between the uncle and a boy, it is advisable to use:
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The answer is no ! Genetic analysis to determine parentage becomes too complex when participants are considered cousins .
With your DNA being too far removed from your cousin, the relationship by genetic analysis will hardly give you an accurate result.
The vast majority of laboratories do not offer this service and refuse to do the parentage analysis if the participant declares this situation.
Can I do a test with cousins?
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Consent is the agreement you give to the laboratory to use your DNA for the purpose of carrying out a genetic analysis. It is mandatory if you want to do an avuncular test.
Consent can only be given explicitly by an adult and fully lucid person. This agreement must be drafted after having received information about the outcomes of the test, through a contract or a consent form.
It is against the law to do a DNA test without the person's consent.
For minors, consent must be provided by one of the legal parents.
What is consent for a DNA test?
Parent Involvement
It is always recommended to test one or both of the known parents to get the most accurate results possible. Since the genetic heritage of children is only half of that of the parents.
The participation of the parents (the child's biological mother or father depending on the situation) in the avuncular filiation test makes it possible to exclude half of the child's DNA leaving the other half for comparison with the DNA of the person you are looking for. This improves the reliability of the results .
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In this sense, it is very important to do this test with a full brother or sister of the alleged parent.
Otherwise, the test will not be conclusive .
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If in your search for kinship, the doubt relates to presumed parents coming from the same family, then all the known relatives must participate in the test with the children. Otherwise, the results may lose precision. As a general rule, the more genetic information available, the better the chances of a successful test.
Parentage Link Results
- 5-7 days using buccal swabs for all participants
- 10+ days if a participant uses discrete samples
This delay is calculated from the moment your samples arrive at the laboratory. Delivery time is not taken into account.
What are the analysis times for an Uncle and Aunt test?
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The reliability and authenticity of test between nephew, niece and uncle or aunt depends on several factors:
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- The quality of the samples
- Laboratory accreditation
- The choice of the test according to the family situation
How reliable are the results?
The quality of DNA analysis depends on the quality of the sample taken and stored. Reliable results can only be obtained by strictly following the instructions of the laboratory. That is why it is important to choose an accredited laboratory that meets ISO 17025 standards for the analysis process, resource and equipment management, impartiality, and information confidentiality.
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In general, laboratories offer tests comparing an average of 15 to 22 genes, called STR loci, to establish the comparison between participants. However, if you want a more detailed comparison for better accuracy of results, you can ask the laboratory for an extended comparison of the number of loci.
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It is important to understand that the number of genes compared can affect the reliability of the results. The higher the number of genes compared, the more reliable the results.
That's why it is recommended to ask for an extended comparison of the number of loci for an avuncular test or other tests for which the reliability of the results is crucial.
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In conclusion, to obtain reliable results from a DNA test, it is important to follow the instructions of the accredited laboratory, choose an extended comparison of the number of loci, and take into account the quality of the sample taken and stored.
The avuncular DNA test measures the indirect relationship between individuals by comparing the genetic profiles of a sibling to that of a supposed parent.
Results are based on probabilities and statistics, but it is important to understand that hereditary transmission can be random and that similar alleles are not always a sign of a shared parent. Additionally, results can be inconclusive, which must be taken into account when interpreting the results.
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Checking the participant relationship:
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The DNA test for establishing parentage involves the use of a relationship index. This base 1 number reflects the likelihood of gene sharing between the participants. The relationship index is then converted into a relationship percentage.
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Results of parentage tests with the aunt or uncle should be considered in terms of probability and the parentage relationship index is translated into a percentage ranging from 0% to 99.99%.
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If the index is greater than 1 and the percentage is greater than 90%, then the test is considered positive. If the index is less than 1 and the percentage is less than 10%, then the test is considered negative.
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The results are presented in the form of a table:
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- Each column corresponding to a participant
- Each line corresponds to a gene
- The composition of the gene is represented by one or two digits per participant
How to read the results of an Avuncular test?
Genetic Laboratory
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The choice of laboratory is a very important step when you want to do an Avuncular test. You should know that not all laboratories offer the same services and depending on several factors you must choose the laboratory that offers a service that corresponds to your search .
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You must choose a laboratory according to:
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- Your family situation and available participants
- The confidence that the laboratory inspires through customer feedback
- The transparency of the company concerning its activity and your expectations
How to choose a reliable Laboratory?
Which parents should participate in an avuncular DNA test?
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In general, participants in an avuncular DNA test are the children (nephew and/or niece) and either a sibling of the alleged parent (uncle or aunt). If possible, the mother or father of the child depending on the situation should also bring their DNA to the tests according to the search for paternity or maternity, because their participation can certainly help to reinforce the results.
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Can the test be done with a half-brother and half-sister of the alleged parent?
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No, the lab cannot test the half-siblings of a possible wanted father or mother. It must be a full sibling relationship in order to obtain the most conclusive results possible. In other words, the uncle and the aunt must be full brothers and sisters (same biological parents) of the father or the mother sought.
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Can first cousins be tested instead of an aunt or uncle?
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No, no relationship DNA testing can be done with cousin involvement, as the percentage of DNA they might share with the person in question is too low to establish a biological relationship. Whether for the avuncular test or any other type of test.
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Can we test from different addresses?
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Yes, laboratories always offer an option to send you several kits if the participants do not have the possibility of taking the test together. This can also be done even if the participants are in different countries.
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Can we come to the lab for a test?
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Generally no, the companies that offer you online tests are merchant companies that work in partnership with the laboratories to relocate all the logistics of the procedures and the customer service. This allows the laboratory to concentrate solely on the work of analysis and thus it is very rare that they provide a place open to the public. In addition, the sample collection that is requested does not require the intervention of a professional.
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Can taking medication or drugs affect a DNA test?
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No, no substance can alter a person's DNA. But the samples you send to the lab can be contaminated or degraded by many environmental factors. Take care to keep them in paper envelopes, avoid handling them with your fingers, and above all do not use a plastic bag.
