What Is The Importance Of Premarital Health Checkups?

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While the preparation for one's wedding day is primarily focused on the aspects of attire, gifts, decorations, invitations, venue, looks, photographs and alike, one of the major aspects is often overlooked; and that is premarital health check-up.

A premarital health check-up is a test that offers an important health assessment of soon-to-be-married couples. The test includes checking for genetic, infectious and transmissible diseases, to prevent the risk of transmitting any disease to each other and their children^[1] [^[2] .

It helps the couple in taking care of each other and their combined family. Although everyone should undergo a preventive health check-up once every year, a premarital check-up can be done about six months before the wedding. The test aids in identifying injuries, genetic blood diseases, such as sickle-cell anaemia - or infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, C, and HIV/ aids ^[3] .

Nowadays, many couples are opting for premarital health check-ups due to the various benefits it possesses and also to avoid the chances of possible health risks in the future.

Why Are Premarital Health Check-ups Important?

The procedure aids in identifying health problems and the possible health risks that could develop in the future. The health problems of one partner could lead to both of them being affected and even pass it to the child. Any couple needs to be screened to aid them to understand their genetics and help them take the necessary precautions or treatments ^[4] .

Premarital health check-ups are important because, it ^[5] ;

• can identify the positive health status of the prospective bride and groom,
• help detect the presence of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B infection, HIV, HCV and other sexually transmitted diseases and,
• aids in identifying carriers of genetic disorders, to assess the risk of having children with a severe form of the disease.

While getting a health check-up done, the couple should get checked for the following health problems ^[6] :

• Inherited diseases such as blood-borne diseases like haemophilia, thalassemia, Marfan syndrome, Huntington's disease and sickle cell disease, which have high chances of being passed on to the offspring.
• Sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, gonorrhoea and herpes.
• Fertility because, addressing fertility issues in the early stages can help avoid the unnecessary biological, psychological, social and emotional trauma associated with barrenness in the future.

What Are The Type Of Tests Involved In Premarital Health Check-ups?

For both men and women, the following tests will be carried out ^{[7] [8]} :

• A blood test routine and haemoglobin analysis to check if there are blood abnormalities, for example, thalassemia trait.
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is conducted to know about the inflammation process.
• Blood sugar test is conducted to monitor the possibility of diabetes mellitus.
• Complete Urine Test, to monitor kidney function and another disease that is related to kidney or urinary tract
• HBsAg test is conducted to know the possibility of Hepatitis B.
• Blood type and Rhesus factor test, to know the possibility of the baby's blood type. The blood type and rhesus test are useful for the foetus.
• VDLR/RPR test is conducted to know the possibility of syphilis disease.
• TORCH test is conducted to detect the infection caused by Toxoplasma parasite, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes virus in which can cause defects on the foetus and premature babies.

On A Final Note...

Undergoing premarital check-ups are important. It helps you and your partner to be aware of each other's health condition and probable health issues. Getting a health check-up done instead of matching horoscopes to fix a marriage should be a new culture.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.