How important is a pre-marriage health check up

(of both partners) in an arranged marriage? How

often people do it?

Apoorva Desai, Pathologist

Answered Feb 26, 2016

It is very essential and important thing. I do not know how many people do it. But this is
a matter which should be encouraged.
 Screening of sexually transmitted diseases like hiv, hepatitis B, syphilis,
gonorrhea etc.
 Screening for hemoglobinopathies kike thalassemia, Sickle cell anemia. To
detect carriers and to know possibility of occuring in offsprings
 Screening for other chromosomal abnormalities, detect carriers and to know
possibility of occurance in children.
Many laboratories offer investigation modalities for these things and every couple,
arranged marriage or love marriage, should get these investigations done. For secure
future and happiness of life partner and own safety.

Kiran Shinde, Agony Aunt !! Dogs !! Wanderlust !! Relationships !! Observer !! Maverick !!

Answered Jan 7

Here Are Tests Needed To Be Done Before Wedding

1) The Genotype Test

2) The Blood Group And Rhesus Factor Test

3) The HIV Test

4) The Hepatitis Test And Other STDs

5) The Fertility Tests

6) Full Medical Body Tests

It is important we carry out the various examinations. With this you both will
understand what you are going into and would have agreed to take the walk together.
Only then can you enjoy a lasting peace. Get Tested!!

Stay Healthy!!!

Vishal Parmar, works at Medicine and Healthcare

Answered Apr 16

For safety of their children and their

Couples should go for checking of

1. Thalassemia trait checking to prevent having child with thalassemia major.

2. Venereal diseases or STD( sexually transmitted disease) screening by tets like
vdrl , hiv and HBsAg
3. Blood group and rh typing ( rh incompatibility can cause problem in child)
4. Sugar and thyroid check and cbc and cholesterol( for genral well being) to
make oneself aware about any genetic or any disease present in spouse.
5. One can go for fertility screening also. I have seen cases of divorce due to
infertility thing( i am strongly against it) this can be checked by male semen
test and female pelvic usg

Yamini Ayyagari, Married for 20 years to someone I have known for 27 years
Answered Feb 12, 2016

I am not a doctor or an expert, but I do believe premarital health checkup would be good
for the bride and the groom. It could be used as an opportunity for some pertinent
diagnosis. This could offer a crucial health assessment of the soon-to-be-married
couples, helping them be aware and prepared and prevent any risk of transmitting any
disease to each other or their children. These programmes could be used to educate
couples on how family background, hereditary factors, age, diet, exercise, weight
management and addictions all contribute to the bigger picture.

Premarital health checkup could be done to accomplish the following:

 Assess the general health of the bride and the groom

 Detect infectious diseases - Hepatitis B, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases etc
 Identify the risk of any possible genetic diseases, say Thalassemia for instance,
that could help the couple make decisions on whether or not to have a child.
Genetic tests could also be used to screen for mental illnesses such as
Schizophrenia
 Check for any fertility problems
Knowing the results of these tests can help the bride and the groom make an informed
decision in the future about themselves as well as their children. For instance, if one of
them has history of diabetes in the family, lifestyle changes can be adopted to ensure
that one is at a lower risk.

You should talk to a good doctor on what are the common medical tests that can be
done, but I can immediately think of the following -

 Routine investigations - Blood work, Complete Urine Analysis etc. including

blood group analysis to help the couple understand the risks involved in
pregnancy if the woman is Rh-negative
 Random blood sugar for diabetes
 Lipid profile to understand the risks involved in high cholesterol
 Genetic tests
Usually in India, young adults take health for granted and do not pay enough attention
to the signals sent out by their bodies. So such tests could help detect health issues that
could otherwise go unnoticed.

How to tell parents: Suggest medical health checkup, most people in this country - even
more conservative families - will have raised eyebrows. People start to wonder if there is
anything wrong in the first place to warrant such a suggestion. There is always the fear
of the intended marriage breaking up in case the results of the health check turn out to
be worrying (say, a genetic disease is detected).

As a first step I would think the bride and the groom should discuss this among
themselves and be convinced of why this is required. They should then take it upon
themselves to educate their parents on why this should be done, and what are the
benefits of getting a health checkup done.

Shivani Gupta, Matrimonial Consultant

Answered Apr 15, 2016

Good Question.

In all marriages it should be done before marriage. There are many important blood
tests like HIV/AIDS, HBsAg, HCV, Blood Sugar, LFT, Thoroid, etc. People think that
only AIDS is incurable, but the fact is there are many more diseases that are incurable.
Apart from this do have an ultrasound before marriage. These test should be performed
on both bride and groom and and opinion should be taken from an expert physician.

Now this should be done in arranged as well as love marriages, but in most of the case it
is not being done which leads to difficult unavoidable situations later on in life. I think
if both families are counseled, they will be ready for performing it.

As I earlier told that Medical checkup before marriage is far more important than
matching horoscope or any other thing.

Even if you find it difficult in doing it, kindly take the help of a Matrimonial Consultant
who will talk with both families on your behalf.

All the best for your partner search