A paternity report’s statistical conclusion is different from an advertisement’s accuracy claim. The laboratory partner describes reports that include a probability of paternity and a combined paternity index. Ask the issuing laboratory to explain how those terms apply to your report.
Start with the conclusion
Read the full conclusion together with the case reference and any qualifications. Do not isolate a percentage from a screenshot or a single table row. Confirm that you are looking at the final report for the intended case, rather than a sample illustration or an incomplete document forwarded by someone else.
Keep the questions specific
Useful questions include: Which people and samples were compared? Is the report final? Are there limitations or extra steps to discuss? What does this number mean under the laboratory’s stated assumptions? Send these questions through the laboratory’s approved channel, not a public comment or social-media post.
Avoid a homemade calculation
Do not average marker values, compare unrelated reports or use an online calculator to replace the laboratory’s interpretation. A mathematical-looking result can still answer the wrong question when the input or assumptions differ. Request clarification instead of treating the largest number on the page as the entire meaning of the report.
Plan the next step carefully
A personal-use result does not by itself resolve an official process or tell you how to discuss the result with family members. Keep a private copy and allow time for questions before making consequential decisions. This guide explains a reading approach; it does not diagnose, verify or reinterpret an individual result.
Sources and further reading
Educational content prepared with AI assistance and editorial source review; it is not presented as professionally medically reviewed. Ask the laboratory about your individual case. Our editorial policy.