Before entering the marriage, it is important that you and your spouse commit to full openness.If you suffer from a chronic illness or your family has a history of a certain condition, it is important to disclose.Disclosure, should not be limited to health. Any contentious issue in your past should be placed in the open .Marriage should solely based on love or pre-arranged customarily. Disclosure is important to prevent shocks of mistrust when a situation leads to an outing of a secret.
1. Chronic medical conditions
Chronic medical conditions often last a lifetime,there are a myriad of chronic illnesses. Notable ones are hepatitis, diabetes, some types of cancers, syphilis, herpes, HIV and epilepsy among others. It is important that couples know their health status regarding these health conditions. Knowing whether you suffer from these diseases or not helps you make informed decisions not just with marriage but also with other issues like which job to take up.
2. Blood group test (Rhesus factor test)
Blood tests are important especially when it comes to pregnancy. Crucial in blood tests is the Rhesus factor. Women with rhesus negative blood group married to rhesus positive husbands have a greater chance of rhesus incompatibility. “The first baby is usually born without trouble,” “Problems start with subsequent pregnancies when the mother’s body forms antibodies to attack the foetus leading to intrauterine death and miscarriages.”
3. HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
HIV is primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse, With marriage comes sex and with sex the potential for transmission of an infection from one spouse to another.Sex within marriage,is without suspicion and hence bears a higher risk when one spouse is a carrier of an STD.
4. Fertility tests
The ability to have babies matter to many spouses ,especially in the African setting .For a couple who would love to have children, fertility tests is be necessary.
5. Genotypic tests
Genes are the software that parents give to their children. Conditions like albinism, Marfan syndrome and sickle-cell disease are passed down from parents to children through genes. These tests become important especially when an illness proves prevalent in a certain geographical area.
6. Mental health status
Sound mental health would be good for couples in marriage. Some mental health conditions can be picked out easily – like autism spectrum disorders and cerebral palsy. Some are hard to make out, “these include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and some neurodevelopmental disorders. These illnesses will need patience and understanding on the part of the healthy spouse. Knowledge of a spouse’s mental health state would help their partner prepare well in case the sick spouse needs long-term care. Also, some mental health conditions are hereditary and may be passed down to offspring,“It behooves the couple to understand and internalise such possibilities.”
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