As failed DNA paternity tests have left many hearts broken and marriages crashing, psychologists have linked the increasing cases to medical errors, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and baby exchange, among others.
The mental health experts noted that several variables could lead to a situation where a child’s paternity was questioned, beyond the common blame on infidelity and deception.
According to them, factors such as negligence, ignorance, and genetic testing errors could also contribute to this phenomenon.
They spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise amid growing concern about paternity fraud, with increasing reports revealing that many children have been falsely attributed to men who are not their biological fathers.
In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed a disturbing trend of paternity fraud, where children are discovered not to belong to their supposed fathers.
This phenomenon has left many families in shock, with some marriages ending in divorce due to the discovery.
While infidelity is often linked to the primary cause of paternity fraud, psychologists, however, said there could be other factors at play.
Speaking with our correspondent, the experts said there was a need for couples to explore all options available before jumping to conclusions that the women cheated in the relationship.
While identifying the lack of pre-marital genetic testing as one of the factors that could be responsible, the mental health experts noted that prospective parents overlook the importance of comprehensive genetic screening, which could reveal potential issues before marriage.
They stressed that ignorance or negligence in this area might contribute to unexpected outcomes later in life.
Dr. Juliet Ottoh
A clinical psychologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr Juliet Ottoh stressed the importance of exploring multiple factors before jumping to conclusions about infidelity.
Ottoh noted that while infidelity is often presumed to be the primary cause of paternal discrepancies, other significant factors could play a role.
She said these include the negligence of medical staff, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and even hospital errors such as baby exchanges.
Ottoh emphasised the necessity of thorough investigation, including verifying the results of genetic tests through reputable labs before making any assumptions about paternal identity.
“It is not always entirely the couple’s fault. Sometimes, it might just be a result of test errors, ignorance, or negligence. We’ve heard stories of babies being exchanged in hospitals due to negligence, leading to paternity issues,” she stated.
She further said, “There are a lot of factors that may be responsible for this. And that is why you must explore extensively to look at out for what are some of these factors.
“Sometimes, it is not entirely the couple’s fault, it might just be as a result of test, ignorance. In recent times, how many people still go to do genetic tests before marriage? Also, some of these genetic tests are queried.
“So, it is not entirely to say that one person is responsible for all these. Sometimes it is negligence. We have heard stories of where a lot of babies were born in the same hospitals and out of negligence, some of the babies were exchanged and they became a problem for their parents.
“We cannot entirely say it is infidelity that is the cause of all these paternal fraud cases. Before you label a situation, you must take a lot of detailed history to understand where the problem is coming from.
“For me, I will say you just ensure you go to the right lab. As it is, you can even try to get a second opinion from another good lab to ascertain your genotype before you venture into marriage. If you have all of those sorted, then we can begin to query the other options. The most important thing you just get tested and confirm your genotype from a reputable lab.
“There are a lot of implications in marriages when these things come out. Partners need to be patient and understand what the problems truly are. If they understand that, they would be able to amend amicably.”
The psychologist stressed that genetic testing was crucial in such situations but advised couples to seek second opinions from reputable labs to confirm their genotypes before marriage.
Speaking on the implications of paternity fraud on marriages and children, the psychologist warned that it could lead to trust issues, mental health problems, and physical health consequences.
“The bedrock of every union should be trust. If you trust your partner, you don’t need to do a DNA test for such reasons,” she noted.
She urged couples to build trust and communicate openly to avoid the complexities of paternity fraud.
By doing so, she asserted, couples could avoid the emotional and psychological trauma often associated with these issues.
“For DNA to be done, the mental health of that child is messed up because there is a query that there was a trust issue. They have already created that gap and lacuna in the child’s life.
“All these trust issues begin to affect the child. If the result comes out that the child does not belong to the father, it is also a problem for the child because he would start asking who is his father. Even if you are the father, there is still going to be a gap.
“It is dicey, it is not something one is entirely open to. It is something people should think through before going to have DNA. Whether the result comes out that you are the father or not, there would still be a problem. So, it is important we thoroughly look at the situation.
“The bedrock of every union should be trust. If you trust your partner, you don’t need to do a DNA test. It affects physical and mental health. So, there must be trust; when trust is built in the relationship, it goes a long way,” she stated.
On his part, a psychologist at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Samuel Olatoye, said negligence, ignorance, and genetic testing errors could also contribute to paternity disputes.
Olatoye emphasised the importance of thorough genetic testing and counselling before marriage.
“Ensure you go to the right lab and consider getting a second opinion from another reputable lab to confirm your genotype. This will help prevent paternity disputes and ensure that couples are aware of their genetic compatibility,” he advised.
Recently, a leading DNA testing centre, Smart DNA released its 2024 report on DNA testing in Nigeria which revealed that nearly 27 per cent of paternity tests conducted by the centre returned negative.
The report indicated that more than one in four men tested were not the biological fathers of the children.
The report by the centre made available to PUNCH Healthwise also revealed that there had been a notable increase in DNA tests for immigration purposes.
The report also showed a significant geographical disparity in testing, with 73.1 per cent of all DNA tests conducted in Lagos.
Within the city, there was a clear divide between the Mainland and the Island, with Mainland tests comprising 67.5 per cent and Island tests 32.5 per cent.
On gender dynamics in test initiation, the report revealed that men requested 88.2 per cent of all tests, compared to 11.8 per cent by women.
Based on an ethical breakdown of paternity tests, the report added that the Yoruba group accounted for 53 per cent of the tests, while the Igbo made up 31.3 per cent, and the Hausa only 1.20 per cent.
The report also added that most tests were conducted on children aged zero to five years, reflecting a preference for early paternity confirmation.
According to the data, men aged 41 and older were the primary initiators of tests, suggesting concerns related to older paternal age.
The report also indicated that tests for male children were slightly more common than for female children, hinting at potential cultural preferences.
It further revealed that most tests of about 85.9 per cent, were conducted for personal reassurance rather than legal reasons.
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