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AlphaBiolabs is celebrating after becoming the first UK testing laboratory to be awarded accreditation for its non-invasive prenatal paternity testing.
Our Warrington-headquartered laboratory, which provides a range of DNA, drug, alcohol, and Covid-19 testing services for members of the public, the legal sector, and the workplace sector, was awarded ISO 17025 accreditation by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) following a two-year validation process.
Beginning in 2019, the AlphaBiolabs DNA team undertook an extensive validation project, ensuring that our in-house prenatal paternity testing methods met the highest possible standards for efficacy, as required by UKAS.
The project was then submitted to UKAS, and an external audit was conducted to ensure our DNA analysis met the criteria for ISO 17025 accreditation, an internationally recognised standard for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Demand for prenatal paternity testing is on the rise
News of our accreditation comes as demand for prenatal paternity testing continues to grow in the UK.
As of 2021, we recorded a 47 per cent increase in prenatal paternity tests versus pre-pandemic levels* as more people become aware of the benefits of this innovative, risk-free test.
A non-invasive prenatal paternity test can be carried out from as early as seven weeks into pregnancy, making it possible to determine paternity before a baby is born.
An AlphaBiolabs prenatal paternity test is 100% safe for both mother and baby, as it only requires cheek swabs and a blood sample from the mother and cheek swabs from the father. It is possible to identify the unborn baby’s DNA via the mother’s blood sample, as DNA from the foetus is passed into the mother’s bloodstream via the placenta during pregnancy.
If the man in question is the biological father of the child, the man and baby will share DNA markers.
For childcare proceedings, knowing the biological father of a child in early pregnancy carries significant benefits, enabling local authorities to implement plans for safeguarding where a baby may be at risk of serious harm.
It can also help prevent delays to pre-care, care, or supervision proceedings.
Prenatal paternity testing from AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs provides 100% accurate, risk-free non-invasive prenatal paternity (NIPP) tests for members of the public.
We also work with family law professionals and local authorities across the UK, providing legal prenatal paternity testing.
Our laboratory is accredited by the Ministry of Justice to carry out parentage tests as directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under Section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act (1969).
For more information on prenatal paternity testing, call our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Services team on 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com.
For legal DNA tests, please email testing@alphabiolabs.com
*Source: AlphaBiolabs DNA testing data, number of prenatal paternity tests performed (2019-2021)
