Marriage is a lifelong commitment emotionally, socially and medically. The first important step in preparing to build a healthy family is to assess both partners’ health through a premarital health screening 3 to 6 months before they marry.

Premarital Health Screening: A Complete Doctor’s Review

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Premarital health screenings are medical tests and/or evaluations that couples take before they get married (usually between 3 and 6 months before their wedding).

Premarital health screenings look for potential health concerns that could affect couples’ ability to conceive, their lives together as husband and wife, the outcome of a pregnancy, and the health of a child, including any hereditary conditions or genetic disorders that could be passed on to a child. 

A number of tests usually included in a premarital health screening package include:

• Comprehensive Blood Test (e.g. CBC, iron profile, blood sugar, etc.)

• HIV Antibody Screening & Other Infectious Disease Screens (e.g. Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis)

• Genetic Carrier Screening (e.g. Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Anemia)

• Blood Typing (ABO & Rh Compatibility)

The results of these tests can inform couples’ decision-making regarding their future together.

1. The Earlier You Know about Your Child’s Sibling Ailments

Kids with sickle cell disease or thalassemia come from families that have passed on these genetic conditions for generations. Getting tested prior to getting married will allow potential parents to work with a genetic counselor to understand the odds associated with their offspring.

2. Protecting Yourself and Your Partner from the Risks of Infectious Diseases

Women should get themselves tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, including hepatitis B and C. This will enable them to begin treatment on the earliest sign of these diseases and lead to education about preventing further transmission and how to pursue a healthy sexual lifestyle along with family planning.

Testing for infections provides the opportunity for both partners to support one another and have honest discussions between them and their medical providers, alleviating both of their anxieties and allowing both to proactively prepare for the possibility of having a child in the future.

4. Decreased Healthcare Costs and Burden on Healthcare Systems

The implementation of premarital screening programs has been shown to improve overall health and decrease the burden of chronic and genetic conditions later in life on healthcare systems and cost to individual patients.

Global Health Perspective — WHO and Guidelines

The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for premarital screening as a way of providing preventive health care, especially among groups at high risk for genetic and communicable diseases. Guidelines from WHO suggest that premarital testing encompasses laboratory analyses of both partners and the provision of counselling regarding the results and options for intervention.

Premarital health screenings are more than just a formality; they enable a couple to enhance their ability to provide their future family with a healthy genetic background and ensure their future health and wellbeing. This evaluation consists of many tests such as blood testing (for HIV), genetic screening, and evaluations for infectious diseases, which allow couples to be proactive in creating opportunities for early interventions and in making informed decisions about their children’s future health by using the best science available today.

When medical professionals use the resources afforded by the global health community to enhance their practices and work together with couples, they can enhance the couples’ overall quality of life while also decreasing their chances of inheriting or transmitting communicable diseases to their families.

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