Aunt & Uncle Test

About this test

An avuncular test can be carried out between:

• Aunts and their nieces and nephews
• Uncles and their nieces

The lab cannot perform this test if the aunt / uncle is NOT a full sibling to the alleged father in question.

We strongly suggest including the sample of a known parent to provide stronger results.

If test participants are male

If test participants are male and they wish to discover whether they are paternal uncle and paternal nephew, they can carry out a Y chromosome test. A Y test is more accurate than an aunt/uncle test. Y chromosome test results are also ready in only 5-7 working days.

Note: We can only guarantee standard result turnaround time when testing takes place solely using oral swab samples. Using a forensic sample for your test may lead to an increase in turnaround time.

The results of an avuncular test

An avuncular test will show the likelihood (expressed as a percentage) that the two people tested are related. This percentage is called a probability of relationship. Aunts and uncles will share around 25% of their genetic makeup with their nieces or nephews; however, in some cases the amount of common DNA may be much higher or much lower. The higher the probability, the more likely it is that the tested people are in fact biological relatives. Further to this, your result will also express the avuncular index. If this index is more than 1.00 then the tested parties are probably genetic relatives. If the avuncular index is below 1.00, then it is likely that they are unrelated. We do suggest you contact us should you want more information about your test and its results.

Why not consult a genetic counsellor about your results?

Our genetic counsellor is ideal if you have any concerns about your DNA test results. They can understand and interpret all aspects of your results, helping you understand any technical language you do not know, answer all your questions or simply explain the results to you. Once you have ordered the service, our genetic counsellor will get in touch with you to organize the date and time of the actual call. The session discussing your results will take place via Skype.