"It is an uncomfortable question that, in today’s world, is often asked by expectant mothers who had more than one male partner at the time they became pregnant. Who is the father?"

Following up on my most recent post about sweeping legislation that will open up the door for many Michigan biological fathers to establish their paternity with respect to children born or conceived during a marriage, this article from the New York Times caught my attention today.

With more than half of births to women under 30 now out of wedlock, it is a question that may arise more often. It's also a question that looms large in those members of our communities who have conceived or born a child during a marriage. Prior to the new legislation, it was nearly impossible for biological fathers to establish paternity to a child born or conceived when the mother was married to another man.

Now blood tests are becoming available that can determine paternity as early as the eighth or ninth week of pregnancy, without an invasive procedure that could cause a miscarriage.

This is not inexpensive. A Ravgen researcher at the company’s labs in Columbia, Md. was quoted as saying that these tests cost $950 to $1,650.

The rest of the NY Times article may be read here: Before Birth, Dad’s ID, Andrew Pollack, NY Times, June 19, 2012