By Ramatoulie Jobe
“we met , we fell for each other, we had great plans for the future, it was a matter of till death do us part so we tied the knot but things are now falling apart. I have had Four consecutive miscarriages in the past three years. I recently found out my husband and I are incompatible . I wish I had taken the Taken the tests my friend told me but I was blindfolded with love” She wept bitterly. My heart sank in agony ,I really felt it for her .
Marriage is a significant milestone for everyone.Weddings are exciting and wonderful moments of celebrations of love and commitment. while all the preparations for the wedding are ongoing, the venue, that guests list, the outfits and the pre-wedding photoshoots an aspect you should never overlook is your health status ,both of you.
Your health status is as important as the love you share. It is an all run summary of your physical and psychological well being thus when people make up their mind to go on the forever journey together it is important to seek medical advice and run a series of checkups to ascertain their health status.
Sadly in our society some would term it as unnecessary and others an issue of mistrust when a partner comes up with it but ,we ought to change that mindset.
Why is a pre-marital test important?
These tests are essential because most couples may not clearly understand the health complications or genetic disorders they have, especially if there are no symptoms thus A great advantage pre-marriage medical tests offer you is early detection which offers an opportunity for treatment earlier before the marriage.
It would also equip you and your partner with the needed information to keep yourselves safe and prepared in cases of diagnosed infections or conditions.
Certain health concerns can frustrate compatibility and affect children negatively health-wise. A pre-marriage test can help couples make the right and most informed decisions in the interest of their wellbeing and that of their unborn children.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TESTS TAKEN AND WHY?
1. Blood Group and Compatibility Tests:
On the top of the list of pre-marriage medical tests necessary for couples to get done is the blood group and compatibility tests. These tests usually help couples stay informed on their respective blood groups and compatibility for blood donation in future. Blood group and compatibility tests also keep the couple informed of risks and factors associated with rhesus disease – a condition that causes antibodies in a pregnant woman to destroy the blood cells of her fetus.
Checking blood group compatibility would automatically have your rhesus factors checked. In cases of incompatibility, the woman would be prescribed Rh Immune globulin which is to help ease off risks associated with pregnancy by ensuring the healthiness and safety of the fetus if she conceives or planning to.
An example of incompatibility in this case would be a woman with a negative blood group marrying a man with a positive blood group.
2.Genotype Check
A genotype is an individuals collections of genes.
Genotype and genotype compatibility is important because it affects future offspring directly. How? The genotype of parents defines the genotype of the offspring. Genotypes are integral players in your body’s genetic make-up and determine whether a future offspring could be a sickle cell carrier or a sickler.
Given the seriousness of sickle cell disease, it is often advised that specific genotype groupings should not pair up in marriage to avoid the risk of kid(s) with the sickle cell condition.
AS= sickle cell trait carrier
SS= a sickler
AA= no sickle cell disease
· AA + AA = AA, AA, AA, AA (Excellent)
· AA + AS = AA, AS, AA, AS, (Good)
· AA + SS = AS, AS, AS, AS, (Fair)
· AS + AS = AA, AS, AS, SS, (Very Bad)
· AS + SS = AS, SS, SS, SS, (Very Bad)
· SS + SS = SS, SS, SS, SS, (Very Bad)
3. STD Screening:
For couples who have been previously active sexually, it is always recommended to run screening on possible sexually transmitted infections including but not limited to syphilis, gonorrhoea, herpes, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection to mention a few. Usually, t this helps in early detection and treatment. Early treatment would ensure that post-wedding, both of you are safe to lead a smooth and healthy sexual life.
5. Hepatitis:
Hepatitis is a liver attacking infection that can cause serious health concerns in future and even death. Hepatitis virus can be transmitted through a varying number of means including through body fluid, faeces, sex, as well as faecal-oral transmission.
6. Fertility Test:
Having kids is intricate and important when getting into the lifelong commitment of marriage, especially with premeditated health conditions, or even a history of fertility concerns in the family.
There are some things to check for fertility. Some include PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), hormonal imbalance, fibroids, cervical cancer, endometriosis in women, as well as sperm counts, prostate cancer, and sterility in men.
Conclusion
The tests highlighted above are non-exhaustive of the pre-marriage medical tests couples need to take. Hence, there are other tests your doctor may recommend on asking you a few questions and studying your medical history. To make well-informed decisions on your health status post-wedding, you should ensure you take necessary and recommended medical tests.
Lets put the horse before the cart.. Get the tests done before planning the wedding. Remember your decision today can affect the lives of those innocent babies that you’ll produce.
