Routine implementation of noninvasive prenatal paternity testing with STRs

Abstract In this work we describe and discuss the use of semiconductor massively parallel sequencing to analyze 32 STRs present on the autosomes and sex chromosomes in cell-free fetal DNA present in maternal circulation. To date we have processed more than 180 tests as routine casework. Cases involving the confirmation of paternity in which no genetic discrepancies were observed and where the paternal alleles were clearly evident in the fetal DNA always resulted in paternity indices >1000.