Marriage is a huge milestone in one's relationship. It is the start of a family, a life-long commitment. Couples preparing for their marriage are often faced with copious tasks; premarital screening is often overlooked. Couples neglect premarital testing as many do not understand the importance and necessity of getting screened before getting married. In this article, you will learn about premarital health screening and its importance.
A premarital screen is a health assessment of routine health tests and some specific tests. These include a sexually transmitted disease (STD) test, a heredity test, and a fertility test. These tests are vital for helping couples identify potential health complications that may arise in the future. In addition, the tests educate them about their genetics.
The couple will first meet with the physician, who will assess their current health status and family history. Through blood tests, screening for basic conditions like diabetes, anemia, kidney issues are done. The basic tests consist of a complete blood count (CBC), urine analysis, and peripheral blood smears. Hemoglobin electrophoresis test reveal the presence of genetic disorders like thalassemia. In addition, blood group tests are essential in screening for Rh-negative women. These tests are crucial as they may affect their pregnancies.
The STD tests determine whether a person is carrying these highly infectious diseases. For example, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis, Hepatitis B. These diseases have several implications. For instance, in the case of Hepatitis B, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that it is 50-100 times more infectious than HIV and may also be passed to the baby during delivery.
Having a 'junior' is often on the cards. The premarital package includes a fertility test.
After all, marriage is for life. Knowing each other’s health at the start, prepares you to take care of each other, in sickness and in health through your life journeys.
For more about pre-marital health screening, visit our HealthConnexion page here.
