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Monday, October 27, 2008

Do we REALLY need this ?

I was clipping coupons yesterday and came across this. I know we are in an age of over the counter tests for pregnancy. I have used them myself, and it's the way Mike and I found out we were pregnant with Connor. But...........this.........well it disturbs me. Do we really need a DNA Paternity test kit readily available in drugstores. Are there that many people out there who don't know who the father of their child is? I know I am opening myself up here.....but please leave a comment on this! I want to see what you all think!!!!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

My name is Kate and I work for IDENTIGENE(the company that is advertised). My experience is that there are many reasons one may need a paternity test and the people who need them come from ALL walks of life. They are using this paternity test as a first step in trying to decide what is next. It is possible the reason they are here is due to perceived "bad" choices. Most people sincerely want an answer to this question so they can move forward with their lives and hopefully do the right thing now for all those involved. Hopefully, our testing is helping people do just that.

I believe that the availability of a product like this at a pharmacy or retail store helps families in crisis find an answer to a question that may have otherwise haunted them for years.

Anonymous said...

Unlike the first commenter, I have nothing to gain by justifying the use of this product. The "need" for this is a sad commentary on our society today. Sex before commitment often results in unplanned pregnancies and babies without fathers. (I won't even address the emotional issues of promiscuity.) Unless you have made a promise (in public) for a lifetime of fidelity and partnership in all events that will come your way, keep your privates to yourself. Do the right thing first and you don't have to kill your child or ask others to support your bad decision.

Anonymous said...

I too am amazed that our society even needs something of this nature. And the really sad thing is that the problem exists within my own extended family. I just don't get it. I guess I live under a rock because my beliefs seem to be so different from most of the world.

Sue in Texas said...

Short story...ruined a good relationship with this test.
Step son got girl pregnant, girl had baby, they have sorta good relationship, talk marriage and all. Step-sons mother wants nothing to do with baby(boy). Tries every way to break up boy and girl(they're adults but you know what I mean). Step son and his mom take son shopping while girl is at work. His mom gets this DNA test and they do it. Now comes the sad part.
A few weeks later we are all at the lake having fun and talking about how much baby looks like daddy and daddy spouts out that he aught to look like him cause he's 99.99 percent sure he is his. Then the story unfolds that his mom talked him into doing the DNA home test. Well long story short, the mommy and baby are now gone their way and the daddy is now paying support and sees baby on weekends only. The hurt that was inflicted by this woman on this young gal tore the relationship apart, and yes it may not have lasted but it was a relationship none the less. To question someones integrity without their knowledge is horrible. The grandmother now thinks it's wonderful that her son has a baby, sure he only gets to see him every other week but it's okay now. The girl is heartbroken that he would question her son's paternity without her permission....and her integrity......that is where the problem lies with this test, there are no controls over who uses them and when.
DNA testing is great, when used responsibily. But otherwise and with no controls....nope.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Kate that there is a need for this type of test to be available, BUT NOT IN A DRUG STORE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE TO PURCHASE ANYTIME!! I mean, come on, this should be something that if you are fool enough to get yourself pregnant in a day and age when there are so many ways to avoid an unwanted pregnancy and even bigger fool not to know who the father is, then you should learn your lesson the first time and never have need of such a test again! This should not be a product that can be purchased so easily that people are tempted to continue to make bad choices again and again. AND IT SHOULD NOT BE ADVERTISED IN A PUBLICATION MY CHILD WILL SEE SO THAT I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO MY 11 YEAR OLD WHAT A DNA TEST IS AND WHY SOMEONE WOULD NEED ONE!!!!

Karen said...

ok - I know this is an old post Joan, but I was just checking out some of your older posts here and felt the need to respond. I too have an issue with this being advertised and readily available. This is truly disturbing. It is bad enough that they want to hand condomns out in schools (and some do), than teaching MORALS and VALUES. I'm not judging those who have experienced the need for this and have made my fair share of mistakes. But seriously - in today's world...there shouldn't be a need for this. Looking at this ad makes me think of a Jerry Springer or Maury Povich show (back when they were on).

I have an issue with this product being on a shelf where my children will possibly see it. I try to teach the meaning of loving themself, morals, values, and respect for oneself. To possibly have to go into why such a product is out there shouldn't have to happen.

Anonymous said...

I was like the "girl" in the story by Sue in Texas. I was in high school getting honours.. and well found a boy, he had a motorcycle and that was cool for some reason. Well at the age of 15 we moved in together (he was 17)His family tried to break us up, but you know young love they more they fight against it the more the kids fight for it even though the parents might be right. Well His parents did succeed in breaking us up and moved him four hours away. SO i moved back home with my parents, and dropped out of high school. The following spring the boy came back for a short visit and when he left town i was in the back of the car with him with a bag of clothes, my sterio and some tapes. That was April by May i was pregnant. Barely 17 and going to be a mom.. I had no idea of birth control (yes seriously my mom raised us in a bubble of sugarplums and lolly pops) We ended up back in the town we had grown up in and met and his mom found out i was pregnant and tried to push for abortion, then adoption, even suggesting sending me away to a young mothers home to live out my pregnancy quietly. Well the boy and i got permission from my mom to get married as I was underage, his family wasn't told or invited and 6 month later i was pushing a baby carriage. We ended up divorcing after he became very abusive towards me and the child and i had to live everyday with him and his family denying he was the dad. To get to the point of my story.. a test like this offered at a reasonable price in 1997 would have solved the problem of the family label of cheater and trying to trap a guy with a baby and other not nice names i was called that have to do with the topic. My son doesn't see his fathering male and has decided that this is all my fault because my mother told him so. He now lives with my mother. So there is the trajic story of teen pregnancy and even though i tried to make it work, at the age of 7 my son decided grandma had less rules and would be a great place to live. I have two other children now age 6 and 8 with my second husband of almost 10years. I would have been first in line to buy this product, though advertising it so publicly is a shame. I wouldn't want to explain the reason for the item to my 8 year old daughter.

Karyn In Canada