For unmarried couples in Oklahoma or for other couples who may question who the father of a child is, DNA testing is one way to scientifically answer that question. Many times these days a DNA test involves a swab of the cheek of the presumed father and the child to compare their DNA. However, in the days before cheek swabbing, blood typing was used as a way to determine who a child’s biological father was.

In general there are four different kinds of blood types – also known as antigens – that a person may have. These types are: O, AB, B and A. Whether a person’s blood type is negative or positive is not really necessary to identify for the purposes of a genetic test. The presence of these antigens could be found in a person’s red blood cells. Only certain combinations of antigens are genetically possible. For example, if a child has type AB blood, their father must have either type A or type B blood. While this test could not always prove with certainty who the father was, it could at least in some cases determine if a man could not possibly be the child’s biological father.

Blood typing is one type of paternity test, but it is not as widely used these days as other types of paternity tests that analyze the child’s and presumed father’s DNA. As mentioned, samples of DNA could come from a cheek swab, or they can be drawn from a person’s blood. DNA testing can be up to 99.9 percent accurate, so it is generally a reliable measure of paternity.

A child can gain a lot from learning who his or her father is. They can get information about their genetic history, including important information about any medical conditions that run in the family. In addition, it can help a child emotionally to know who his or her father is. Finally, determining paternity can allow for the establishment of child support and the development of a relationship between the father and his child.