Maternity testing
- infotest ADN
- Dec 28, 2025
- 4 min read
Maternity testing: which DNA test should you choose to confirm biological kinship?
Do you have doubts about a filiation link between two people and wish to verify whether there is a biological relationship through the mother? A maternity test (or maternal filiation test) relies on comparative genetic analysis: it allows DNA to be used to confirm or exclude a kinship link.
This type of procedure can be useful to:
resolve doubt within the family,
confirm filiation in an administrative or legal context,
find unknown biological relatives.
Unlike a genealogy test (which mainly provides "matches" and ancestry percentages), a filiation test generally requires comparing the DNA of at least two people (sometimes more) to obtain a reliable result.
Before ordering, it is important to clarify three points:
Who is available for the DNA test?
What is the family situation between you and the tested person?
Which DNA test is most suitable for your case?
In this guide, we explain who can participate in a maternity test, the conditions for each type of participant, and the possible DNA tests according to the situation.
Who can participate in a maternity test?
To establish a maternal filiation link, the DNA of several people must be compared. Depending on your profile, the available participants and the family structure, several configurations are possible.
To simplify, you can place yourself in one of these two profiles:
You are a man
You are a woman
Then, the analysis can be carried out with (depending on availability):
the presumed mother,
your siblings,
your grandparents,
an aunt or uncle,
first cousins.
Important: in certain cases, it is recommended to also include the biological father (if he is available) to improve the accuracy of results, even though this is not always mandatory.
What are the conditions according to the participant?
DNA test with siblings
Genetic tests can be performed:
between brother and sister,
between brothers,
between sisters.
For a maternal filiation test, it is not mandatory that the siblings share the same biological father.
DNA test with grandparents
For a filiation test between a grandchild and their grandparents, it is essential that both grandparents participate.
Even though some laboratories offer an analysis with only one grandparent, this configuration is generally less reliable as it provides less genetic information.
To verify: both grandparents must be the biological parents of the sought-after mother.
DNA test with an aunt or uncle
It is possible to use the DNA of an aunt or uncle, but you must choose a single participant (aunt or uncle). Testing both is not necessary to obtain good results and may result in higher costs.
Important condition: the chosen aunt or uncle must be a full sibling of the presumed mother, meaning they share the same biological parents.
Analysis with cousins
It is possible to perform an analysis with a male or female cousin, via mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is transmitted only through the mother.
For this to be possible, your cousin must be a direct descendant of your grandmother through a daughter (your aunt, or another female descendant of your grandmother).
Which DNA tests are available for a maternity test?
The laboratory will offer the most suitable test according to the available participants.
The maternity test (direct test)
The maternity DNA test consists of comparing your DNA with that of a presumed mother.
This is the most reliable and direct analysis to confirm a filiation link between a child (girl or boy) and the tested mother.
The biological father is not essential, but he may also participate.
To determine a siblingship relationship between brothers and sisters, a siblingship DNA test can be performed.
Results are generally expressed as a percentage (probability of kinship). It may therefore be wise to add several participants to improve accuracy.
Even though the inclusion of the biological father is often advised, it is not mandatory.
To obtain reliable results in a DNA test between grandchildren and grandparents, it is crucial to include the genetic profiles of both grandparents.
The participation of the biological father can improve accuracy, but it is not mandatory. However, analysis with only one grandparent is generally less reliable.
The avuncular test (aunt/uncle)
This test allows a relationship to be established between a nephew or niece and an uncle or aunt.
We recommend, when possible, including family members of different genders to strengthen reliability.
Examples:
niece + uncle,
nephew + aunt.
Results remain expressed as percentages. Adding the biological father can also improve interpretation.
The mitochondrial DNA test can be as reliable as a maternity test in certain configurations. It provides a positive or negative answer depending on the family situation.
It allows determination of whether individuals belong to the same maternal line.
Possible participants:
presumed mother,
aunt,
grandmother,
siblings,
first cousins (female/male).
How to read the results of a DNA test?
Depending on the type of test performed, the report may present results in different forms:
tables,
graphs,
percentages,
probabilities of genetic link.
In most cases, it is a comparative analysis of the genetic profiles of the participants, with a conclusion indicating whether the filiation link is compatible or excluded, and with what level of probability.