Sometimes a double fling happens and a pregnancy appears—now what? How can I know who the father of my child is? The fact is, when you’ve had intercourse during the fertile period (which usually lasts about 7 days), it’s impossible to be absolutely certain who the baby’s father is. However, some calculations can be made to create a margin of possibilities. The day of conception is usually the most fertile day, but pregnancy can also happen when you have intercourse up to 3 days before ovulation. The trick to finding out who the baby’s father is, is to do some math to identify the most fertile day and compare it with the dates of sexual intercourse.
How to Know the Most Fertile Day
Let’s talk numbers: for example, in a regulated 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs on the 14th day, with the fertile period from the 11th to the 17th day of the cycle. The day with the most and most slippery mucus is certainly the day you ovulated. So it’s assumed that the man you were with up to 3 days before or 2 days after ovulation is likely the father. To know the most accurate day of ovulation in irregular cycles, you should check your mucus1. But if you’re the forgetful type, the best thing is to check the dates of your previous periods, since you can get an idea of when your fertile period was. However, there are extreme cases where intercourse happens 2 days in a row, with one guy today and another tomorrow, making it impossible to rely just on dates and calculations. Thus, if the encounters happened with a long gap in between, the calculation can be done easily. The problem is when they occur on very close days, whether with 1, 2, or more partners.
Can an Ultrasound Tell Who the Father Is?
No, but an ultrasound can be a great ally in determining when the baby was conceived. This exam, if done up to the 10th week of pregnancy, can give a very precise date of the pregnancy. The earlier it’s done, the better and more accurate the calculation. The ultrasound will give you the closest possible date of conception, but we should remember that the EDD (estimated due date) is counted from the first day of the menstrual cycle and not from the day ovulation occurred2.
DNA Test
In extreme cases, a DNA test is recommended to find out who the father is—the well-known paternity test3. This test is becoming more and more common and can be done through the public health system (SUS), as long as a paternity investigation is initiated with the courts. It is also possible to do the test in private clinics, usually costing from R$500 to R$1,000, depending on the number of people involved in the test. DNA collection can be done after the baby is born, by comparing the baby’s genetic material with the alleged father’s via hair strands or saliva, for example. The simplest way to tell who the father is is by calculating dates, but in many cases things become clear after birth. Some children so closely resemble their fathers that any DNA test or concerns about paternity are unnecessary, but it’s still up to the man to register and acknowledge the baby. We should remember that the child’s probable father should help during the pregnancy. If necessary, a paternity support process can help cover costs of tests, medications, special food, medical assistance, and the baby’s layette, for example. And to claim support, it’s crucial to know for sure who the father is! If the father does not want to help or cannot afford support, the relatives can become the responsible parties for payment. Usually, when pregnancy happens, all the responsibility falls on the woman, but let me remind you that it takes the mutual will to have intercourse to create a baby, and a child should be loved and cared for by both parents, not by the mother alone. Real men support the woman, no matter the circumstances. A child is forever and, even when they come at the wrong time, there is nothing better in anyone’s life. Also read: Can I Take a Pregnancy Test Before My Period Is Late?
