Half sibling DNA test is said to be one of the accurate methods to identify half-siblings (those who share either a mother or a father). It is one of the most accurate and scientific method to prove that two or more individuals are biologically related.
Let us first understand what a DNA is?
DNA is packed into cell units called chromosomes. So, each cell of your body contains two copies of chromosomes i.e. one from a mother and the other from a father. In total, we have 46 chromosomes in the body. Scientists numbered chromosomes from 1 to 23 to make them easier to locate and understand.
The 23rd one actually determines the sex of an individual. So, if it is a girl then she gets X chromosomes from both parents, but if it is a boy then he gets X chromosome from his mother and Y chromosome from his father. So, this means you and your biological siblings will share half of 50% of mother’s DNA and the other half from the father (i.e. 25% each).
In this case, both siblings can get same DNA, but not exactly the same (which will be the case in half-siblings too). It is only possible in case of two identical twins, which will have the exact same DNA.
So, what is Half Siblings DNA testing?
The half siblings DNA lab testanalyzes the genetic material of two different people and compares it with each other to determine the likelihood that they are related biologically. You cannot have the same DNA with any of your distant relatives, such as uncles, aunts or cousins.
In most cases, this test is done to determine the paternity i.e. whether these two individuals have the same father. This often happens when a father is unwilling to take up this paternity test. There are many labs that provide this testing to help people identify their shared DNA half sibling. Paternity USA is one such lab, which provides a good quality cheap DNA test.
It is dedicated to provide the top quality DNA tests at the lowest possible prices available at the nearest drug store or pharmacy or online. However, question arises if a DNA test can prove half siblings. The answer is that it can just show the potential for sibling relationship, but it does not prove it with certainty.
However, the best lab testing can give you an accurate half siblings DNA test results up to 24-marker test, which is better than home tests. The best way to get the most accurate results is to make both biological mothers to take the tests. In this case, while comparing both mother and a child, they can eliminate the entire DNA the mother provided to her child and remaining ones will be from their father.
In this way, the test will give you an exact result. If both mothers cannot participate, then even a single mother test can work well. In case, both are not available then the tests can be done with both suspected half siblings.