Understand Reasons for Delays in DNA Test Results

A query people purchasing DNA tests may have involved delays related to such tests as the paternity DNA test or Relationship tests. The delays which one can experience are usually related your DNA test results and in the very vast majority of cases these occur due to circumstances outside the control of the company from which you have purchased the test. Often delays are due to errors on behalf of customers and these can often be avoided.

DNA test results delayed: Why?

When results are delayed it is usually for the following reasons:

• The swabs you have sent have somehow been contaminated. This means that you may have made a mistake while collecting your samples. Did you forget that you must not eat? Did you use the same swabs twice for two different people?
• Alternatively what happens on extremely rare occasions is that one of the swabs used may not have yielded enough DNA for testing. In such cases, laboratory analysts will have to use the second swab (hence, you will be given two swabs per person in DNA test kit) and thus, your DNA test results will be delayed as the testing is going to take longer under such circumstances.
• If you are in a hurry for your DNA testing results that instead of waiting the standard 5-7 days you could opt for the express testing option which many testing companies offer. This means that they can analyze the DNA samples immediately and give you your result in just 2 working days.
• Test results are sent by email and these would normally automatically go into your inbox; however, it sometimes happens that they go into your spam folder- have a look at this.
• When you receive your due date for your paternity test results are likely being processed and checked on that same morning and this means you will receive them in the afternoon- do not worry or panic, you will get them.
• Who has paid for the actual test? If you have not paid for the test but have taken part in it and submitted your samples, it does not mean you will receive the results. Results are only sent to the person who has bought the test unless otherwise agreed.

Delays are essentially very rare with the DNA test Result. When they do happen, it is under circumstances which cannot be controlled by the company but which they will help you as best they can to solve it.

Further reading

To be able to determine biological relationships, genetic fingerprinting must take place. But what is the process of DNA fingerprinting? How likely is it that two chances have the same profiles? What exactly is the science of fingerprinting? Read more by clicking here.