Prenatal Paternity Testing in Spencer, WV

Non‑invasive prenatal paternity testing uses a standard blood draw from the pregnant mother and a cheek swab from the alleged father to compare the baby’s DNA to the father’s DNA markers, using cell‑free fetal DNA in the mother’s blood instead of sampling the pregnancy directly. In West Virginia, paternity for a child born outside marriage can be established by signing a Declaration of Paternity Affidavit, by a court order, or through the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) using genetic testing, and when undisputed blood or tissue test results show a statistical probability of paternity of more than 98%, they legally establish the man as the father for all purposes under W. Va. Code § 48‑24‑103 and are treated as clear and convincing evidence of paternity in both BCSE proceedings and intestacy cases.

Most non‑invasive prenatal paternity tests can be performed starting around the 7th to 10th week of pregnancy, counted from the first day of the last menstrual period, once there is enough fetal DNA in maternal blood for accurate analysis. Many West Virginia families coordinate early NIPP testing with prenatal care through West Virginia Medicaid and WVCHIP, which cover pregnancy‑related services—prenatal visits, labs, ultrasounds, hospital delivery, and extended postpartum care—for eligible members, as described in state materials on Medicaid program; maternity and infant care and policy summaries of Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in West Virginia.

NIPP is considered low‑risk because it relies on a routine blood draw from the pregnant mother and avoids invasive procedures such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, which carry a small risk of miscarriage. This blood‑based approach is consistent with West Virginia’s focus on expanding safe, accessible maternity care—state law requires Medicaid to extend coverage for pregnant women and newborns up to 185% of the federal poverty level and to provide 12 months of postpartum coverage, and WVCHIP now offers maternity services including prenatal care, behavioral‑health care, and pharmacy coverage, as explained in W. Va. Code § 9‑5‑12 and DHHR’s announcement that WVCHIP has added coverage for maternity services.

Legal prenatal paternity tests that follow strict chain‑of‑custody procedures can be used in West Virginia child‑support, custody, and inheritance cases once the child is born, provided they are done by an appropriate laboratory and meet the evidentiary standards in state law. Under W. Va. Code § 48‑24‑103, undisputed genetic‑test results showing a statistical probability of paternity of more than 98% legally establish the man as the father for all purposes and constitute clear and convincing evidence, so BCSE can schedule a support hearing and courts can rely on those results to enter paternity and support orders, as explained in BCSE’s Paternity Frequently Asked Questions and summarized in Social Security’s intestacy guidance for West Virginia.

Most private health plans, West Virginia Medicaid, and WVCHIP treat prenatal paternity testing as an elective, non‑covered service, even though they cover medically necessary prenatal and delivery care and finance a large share of maternity services in the state. Pregnant West Virginians can qualify for pregnancy Medicaid with incomes up to about 185% of the federal poverty level, and WVCHIP has been expanded to cover pregnant women with incomes up to 300% of the poverty level, with both programs now providing 12 months of postpartum coverage, as outlined in Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in West Virginia, W. Va. Code § 9‑5‑12, and DHHR’s release on WVCHIP maternity services coverage.

West Virginia residents can access prenatal visits, ultrasounds, childbirth education, postpartum care, and newborn coverage through Medicaid, WVCHIP, community health centers, and hospital‑based OB programs, with eligibility and benefit details explained in Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in West Virginia and DHHR maternal‑services fact sheets. WVCHIP maternity coverage provides prenatal care, behavioral‑health services, pharmacy, dental, and vision benefits for eligible pregnant women, and both Medicaid and WVCHIP keep mothers covered for 12 months after delivery, while newborns remain eligible for at least one year, as highlighted in DHHR’s WVCHIP maternity services announcement.

For legal questions about custody, visitation, child support, or how DNA testing affects parental rights, parents can start with the West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement website, which explains voluntary acknowledgment, BCSE‑ordered genetic testing, and what happens when tests show at least a 98% probability of fatherhood on the BCSE Paternity FAQ and main BCSE portal at bcse.wv.gov. Additional plain‑language help comes from resources like “Paternity in West Virginia” – DivorceNet and practitioner guides such as “Establishing Paternity and Its Impact on Child Support and Custody”, which outline Declaration of Paternity Affidavits, court petitions, BCSE involvement, and how genetic‑test results over 98% probability affect paternity, custody, and support.

No, previous pregnancies do not interfere with NIPP results. The test isolates fetal DNA specific to the current pregnancy, ensuring accurate results regardless of prior pregnancies.

Yes, testing is possible if potential fathers are related, but additional analysis may be required to distinguish between their DNA profiles. Informing the lab about this relationship ensures more precise testing.

No, since the multiples will share the same DNA, it will be impossible to determine how many & which is which.

Yes! Both legal and non-legal NIPP tests include free gender determination as part of your results package.