Sample Collection Instructions | Prenatal Test

Please read and follow these instructions carefully. Failure to do so may affect the validity of your sample or result!

EasyDNA recommends that the mother is at least 7 weeks from conception (this means that you will be in your 9th week of pregnancy, starting from the first day of your last menstrual period). You may check your due date by using our pregnancy calculator! Please note that we strongly recommend checking with your doctor to confirm the dates related to your pregnancy.

Note: Blood sample from the mother needs to be collected by a trained professional such as a doctor or nurse. The father’s sample (cheek cells) can be collected at home by the test participants themselves.

Precautions

– Contact the courier prior to your appointment to ensure you can arrange a convenient collection time for pick-up of the samples. We highly recommend that samples are dispatched on the same day as the blood sample is collected.
– We also strongly recommend that the blood sample collection takes place as early as possible in the day. Make sure to use only the courier pouch provided to send your samples.
– Do not use any other blood collection tubes other than the ones provided in our kit.
– Ensure that the correct amount of blood is supplied.
– Collection of the father’s samples can be done at home by following the instructions provided in our kit.
– Ensure that the sample submission form is completed and that all the required information has been filled in.

Contents of the Sampling Kit

– 1x box containing:
 

• 1x consent form
• 1x sample collection instructions
• 1x courier collection instructions
• 1x terms & conditions
• 1x swab envelope
• 2x 2 swabs
• 2x absorbent pad
• 2x 10 ml blood collection tube
• 1x foam insert
• 1x biohazard bag
• 1x security seal
• 1x return courier pouch

Procedure for Blood Sample Collection (mother)

• Book an appointment with a person qualified to take the blood sample (more than 7 ml). Be sure to take your sample collection kit with you to your appointment.
• Drink plenty of water just before the blood sample collection.
• Make sure to use the 2x 10 ml blood collection tubes for the mother’s sample. Ensure that the tubes are labelled with the information requested.
• Fill out the consent forms carefully.
• Once the doctor or nurse has collected the blood sample in the relevant tube and labelled them carefully, it is recommended that the tube is rotated by hand to ensure that the blood, anticoagulant and stabilizer are thoroughly mixed. The tube must be placed back into the absorbent pouch and bubble wrap pouch provided.

The father’s samples (cheek cells) are collected via 4 mouth swabs. Visit our sample collection page for more information on how to collect a swab sample.

Sending your samples back

– Once you collect the blood sample from the mother and mouth swab samples from the alleged father, the Streck tube pouch and the envelope containing the father’s swabs need to be placed in the Biohazard Bag.
– You may then proceed to insert the Biohazard Bag into the white box provided. Remember to include the consent form. However, do not place the forms inside the Biohazard Bag with the samples.
– Insert the white box into the courier pouch provided. Take note of the tracking number and seal the pack.
– Excess heat can cause samples to fail. Please ensure they are kept at room temperature.
– Please ensure that you close and seal the courier pouch correctly. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the samples in transit and the need to re-sample.
– Call up courier for collection and dispatch of your samples. Make sure to mention that you have a prepaid courier pouch.
– Once samples have been sent, contact us to confirm that you have sent the samples. Always remember to quote case reference code.

Please organise to have the samples collected on the same day of collection and within a short period of time as the samples need to return to the laboratory within 4 days.

Learn more about how this DNA test can help you to determine your baby’s paternity!