How to read LabCorp paternity test results

Q: What does D3S1358 mean on a DNA test?

So thats what it means when you get a D3S1358, 17/18”. You have 17 repeats on one chromosome and 18 on the other at D3S1358, a certain spot on a chromosome. The two numbers come from the fact that we all have two copies of each of our chromosomes* .

Summary

Overall, paternity testing with LabCorp was quick, easy, and provided the answer I expected. However, the results were not as user-friendly as I had hoped they’d be and support in interpreting the report wasn’t easy to find.

Índice Show

Full Review
Product Expectations
Ordering Experience
The Results
How do I read my paternity test results?
What does 0.00% mean on a paternity test?
What does D3S1358 mean on a DNA test?
How many alleles must match for paternity?

That said, the report delivered what was promised and did quickly provide me with the definitive answer I was looking for. For that reason, I’d recommend it.

Full Review

LabCorp DNA Identity is part of the Laboratory Corporation of America, one of the world’s largest healthcare testing companies. Their DNA testing services have grown in recent years with the acquisition of companies like Genzyme Genetics, which specializes in oncology and reproductive testing, and Sequenom, a company that provides tests for expectant parents.

LabCorp Identity itself provides the types of tests that can determine biological relationships between individuals. The company has carried out tests in support of an impressive 2 million+ legal cases, but also offers ‘At-Home Collection Kits’ for those that want the test for ‘peace of mind’. I decided to take this test to see whether LabCorp’s impressive credentials would be matched by their service.

Product Expectations

The LabCorp website was basic but easy to navigate. Although there were several legal tests available, there were just four ‘At-Home Collection Kits’: paternity, maternity, twin and genetic profiling tests. I clicked on the paternity test option and was taken to a product description page that gave details about both the paternity and maternity tests. The information was split into four questions, ‘What is it?’, ‘Why should I use it?’, ‘How is it done?’ and ‘How do I order at-home collection kits?’.

From the answers to these questions, I learnt that the paternity test would determine “if a man is the biological father of a child” and that I’d receive a package of kits, each containing four swabs with which to take the samples. It was also made clear that the test could not be used for legal purposes, but it was just as “highly accurate” as the legal tests, excluding non-fathers in 99.99% of cases.

The details I’d need to order the test were listed (name, contact details for the parties involved, and a credit card). Whilst this list didn’t include anything particularly unexpected or unusual, it was useful to have a checklist of what I’d need.

Finally, I was pleased to see, in a ‘Fees’ section, that the cost of the test was the same regardless of whether the mother was included.

Ordering Experience

I was surprised that I couldn’t find any terms and conditions or privacy policy that related to genetic testing specifically, just ones that covered use of the website.

There were four steps in the checkout process. In the first, I chose which test I wanted (mother included or not) and entered the information about myself (as the primary contact). I was pleased to find that the purchase included free delivery for the first two kits and that I could give special shipping instructions if I needed to.

I was able to add extra participants for $70 each, but I didn’t need to. In the next steps, I added information about the other participant and was given the option to send them a copy of the results as well as receiving them myself. I was a bit surprised that the “Race/Nationality/Ethnicity” of the alleged father was required. However, there was a helpful ‘Why do we need this?’ button that explained it was required by accreditation services.

The third step prompted me to enter my credit card details and step four confirmed my order.

The kit arrived two days after I’d ordered it, in a discreet envelope. As promised, it contained four swabs, which the other participant and I used to take samples from the insides of our cheeks. There was a list of instructions, which made this process simple and quick. I was pleased to find that the envelopes to put them in had been pre-labelled with our names, reducing the chance of us mixing up the swabs.

I filled in our details again and we both signed to consent to the testing. Pre-paid FedEx packaging had been included, so it was easy and free to send the samples back.

The Results

I didn’t receive an email to confirm that the samples had arrived at the lab, but the results were sent to me via email four working days later. I also received a hard copy in the post, seven working days after I'd received the electronic version. The PDF version of the report that was attached to the email is shown below.

Click to see larger

My Report

When I first opened this document, I was surprised to see that it appeared to be a scanned version of a paper report. It was a little wonky and not what I had expected from such a large company.

Looking at the results themselves, there didn’t at first appear to be a clear result, just a table showing lots of numbers. This didn’t make any sense to me and I couldn’t find anything explaining it or links to any advice. I was a bit worried that I would have to try to interpret it to find my answer. However, scrolling further down the page, I realized that there was a ‘Conclusion’ section that revealed what the table meant in terms of likelihood of paternity.

This revealed that the probability of paternity was 99.999%, which seemed to be certain confirmation that the man I’d tested with was my father (which is what I’d expected). However, I was less sure of this when I read that this meant he ‘could not be excluded as biological father’, as this sounded a bit ambiguous.

Above this statement, there was a paragraph that seemed to be a disclaimer about verification of our identities. Whilst I understood that this was probably something to legally protect the company, I thought it was a bit strange to include it before the explanation of the result and it wasn’t easy to understand what it meant.

Summary

That said, the report delivered what was promised and did quickly provide me with the definitive answer I was looking for. For that reason, I’d recommend it.

Visit LabCorp to learn more about this DNA testing service >

How do I read my paternity test results?

The Combined Paternity Index is the number on the lower right side of the report, directly under the Locus/Allele chart. If the tested male is considered the biological father, there is a number listed for the Combined Paternity Index. If the tested male is not considered the biological father, the report shows “0.”

What does 0.00% mean on a paternity test?

The Probability of Paternity or POP A 99.99% would signify that the alleged father is the biological of the child. A 0% probability of paternity would signify that the alleged father is not the biological father of the child.

What does D3S1358 mean on a DNA test?

So that's what it means when you get a “D3S1358, 17/18”. You have 17 repeats on one chromosome and 18 on the other at D3S1358, a certain spot on a chromosome. The two numbers come from the fact that we all have two copies of each of our chromosomes* .

How many alleles must match for paternity?

Normally, 15 alleles would need to match between father and child to confirm paternity. Using all this information, our scientists work out the probability of relationship.

read labcorp paternity test results