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Tareq Abadl: Are Premarital Tests a Luxury Or a Medical Necessity?
Photo: Depositphotos
Dec 24, 2025, 05:53

Tareq Abadl: Are Premarital Tests a Luxury Or a Medical Necessity?

Tareq Abadl, Medical Laboratory Specialist and Director of the Blood Bank at Dr. Abdelkader Al-Mutawakkil Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Before You Say “Congratulations”… Ask This First

Are premarital tests a luxury?
Or a medical necessity that could protect your future children from lifelong suffering?

Many people think premarital screening is just routine paperwork.
That’s wrong.

These tests are a life decision, not a formality.
Whether the marriage is between relatives or not, the risks — and the role of testing — are real.

Let’s get it straight

Why Are Premarital Tests Important?

Tareq Abadl: Are Premarital Tests a Luxury Or a Medical Necessity?

Premarital screening helps to:

  • Reduce the risk of genetic diseases in children
  • Detect infectious diseases that can be transmitted to the partner
  • Protect both spouses’ long-term health
  • Prevent future psychological and family problems
  • Enable safe and informed pregnancy planning

Marriage Between Relatives (Consanguinity)

Why Is It Riskier?

Relatives often:

Share the same genes

May carry the same genetic disorder without symptoms

This significantly increases the chance that a child will be:

Affected, not just a carrier


Essential Tests for Relatives

  1. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
    Screens for:
    Inherited anemia
    Thalassemia
    Hemoglobin disorders
  2. Thalassemia Testing
    (Hb Electrophoresis / HPLC)
    Critical because:
    A person may be a carrier without knowing
    Carrier + Carrier = High risk of affected child
  3. Sickle Cell Disease Screening
    Especially important in certain geographic regions
    A chronic, painful disease that affects:
    Quality of life
    Life expectancy
  4. Targeted Genetic Tests (Based on Family History)
    Examples:
    G6PD deficiency
    Inherited metabolic disorders
    Genetic liver or kidney diseases

Marriage Between Non-Relatives

Some people say:

> “We’re not related, why test?”


Wrong assumption.
Not all serious diseases are genetic.


Mandatory Infectious Disease Tests

HBV (Hepatitis B)

HCV (Hepatitis C)

HIV

Syphilis (VDRL)


Purpose:

Protect the uninfected partner

Prevent transmission

Protect future pregnancies

Blood Group and Rh Factor

Especially important if:

Husband: Rh positive

Wife: Rh negative


To prevent:

Recurrent pregnancy loss

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

Severe neonatal anemia

 

Additional Tests (When Indicated)

Blood glucose

Liver function tests

Kidney function tests

To ensure:

Safe pregnancy

No hidden chronic diseases


When Should These Tests Be Done?

* Well before marriage * To allow time for:

Medical counseling

Discussion

Informed decision-making without pressure


Final Message

Premarital testing is:

Not complication
Not pessimism


Awareness
Compassion
Protection for children not yet born

Tests don’t stop marriage.
Ignorance can destroy happiness for a lifetime.”

Explore more posts for deeper insights into hemostasis with Hemostasis Today.

Blood group Complete Blood Count (CBC) Consanguinity Hb Electrophoresis HBV (Hepatitis B) HCV (Hepatitis C) Health Hemostasis Hemostasis Today HIV Medicine Premarital Tests Rh factor Sickle Cell Disease Syphilis (VDRL) Tareq Abadl thrombosis
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