7 Types of medical examinations that need to be done before marriage

Health checks or what is known by the term check-up is a set of examinations to determine a person's health condition. Premarital check-up or pre-marital health checks conducted by a married couple before marriage or when planning a wedding. This aims to identify the health conditions, risks, and history of health problems that each partner has, so that efforts can be made to prevent and treat health problems as early as possible effectively before undergoing marriage.

Why is it necessary to know the health condition of the couple before marriage?

A person's health condition can affect the pregnancy process and the quality of life that your offspring will have. So, knowing your partner's health condition will make planning to build a household more mature. Although health checks can also be done before pregnancy, it's a good idea to have a health check a few months before marriage. That way, you can make better decisions after knowing the health risks that may be experienced by you and your family, if you continue to be married.

Examinations obtained at the prenuptial inspection service

There are not so many pre-marital health checks done in Indonesia, but if you want to do it, you can find these checks in several clinics, hospitals, and private health examination laboratories. Usually the examination focuses on infectious diseases and diseases that affect reproductive health, as well as congenital diseases that may be inherited. Here are some types of health checks before marriage that are common:

1. Various blood tests

In the form of checking the sedimentation rate or what is also known as routine hematology (complete blood count) to determine the general health of the individual by examining blood components to detect conditions of anemia, leukemia, inflammatory reactions and infections, markers of peripheral blood cells, levels of hydration and dehydration, and polycythemia in individuals. In addition, routine hematology examinations also aim to determine the risk of giving birth to offspring with thalassemia and hemophilia, but it also needs to be strengthened by examining hemoglobin HPLC, ferritin, and HbH inclusion bodies as well as hemostasis physiological hematology.

2. Examination of blood type and rhesus

This needs to be done to determine rhesus compatibility and its effects on mother and baby. If the prospective partner has a different rhesus, it is likely that the mother will conceive a child with a different rhesus. This can be dangerous for the health of the unborn child because it can damage blood cells and cause anemia and organs in the baby.

3. Check blood sugar levels

This examination is carried out based on fasting glucose levels to determine the condition of a person's hyperglycemia. It is necessary to prevent and early treatment of complications caused by diabetes during pregnancy.

4. Urine examination

Also known as urinalysis, to detect metabolic or systemic diseases and to detect kidney disorders based on chemical characteristics (specific gravity, pH, leukocyte esterase, nitrite, albumin, glucose, ketones, urobilinogen, biliubine, blood), microscopic sediments (erythrocytes, leukocytes, cylindrical, epithelial cells, bacteria, crystals), and macroscopic (color and clarity).

5. Sexually transmitted infection detection

Performed with the VDRL or RPR test using a blood sample. Both function to detect antibodies that react against syphilis bacteria, Treponema pallidum. VDRL can produce false positive results for syphilis if a person also has several infectious diseases such as HIV, malaria, and pneumonia at the time of examination.

6. Detection of hepatitis B infection

This is done by detecting early markers of Hepatitis B infection. If HBsAg remains in the blood for more than 6 months, it means that chronic infection has occurred. HBsAg examination aims to prevent hepatitis B transmission to partners through sexual intercourse, and its adverse effects on the fetus such as disabilities and death due to congenital transmission during pregnancy.

7. Detection of diseases that cause abnormalities during pregnancy

Among them are diseases caused by the bacteria Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes Simplex (TORCH) based on the activity of IgG humoral immunity as a marker of infection. Acute TORCH infection during pregnancy or more than 4 months before pregnancy will pose a risk of pregnancy in the form of miscarriage, premature birth, and can also cause fetal abnormalities.

Other prenuptial medical tests are also important

In addition to the health checks above, there are additional examinations for several infectious diseases such as chlamydia, HIV, and thyroid hormone disorders. This is recommended if you want to get pregnant right away. HIV detection can be an additional pre-marital check-up that is preferred, whether you want to get pregnant right away or delay your pregnancy.

HIV is a disease that has a long (chronic) course and attacks the body's immunity. HIV is very easily transmitted for married couples and even affects the pregnancy and birth of children who are already infected with HIV. HIV testing can be done with the standard method to detect HIV antibodies through body fluids or the rapid method to detect HIV antibodies by examining a blood sample.