Body checkup

Pre-pregnancy/Pre-marital Checkup Plan

Marriage is an important part of life, and childbearing is the key to the happiness of two generations. No matter if it is a couple who is planning to get married or a couple who wants to have children after marriage, the first thing to consider is to understand the health status of themselves and their partners, such as fertility, chances of pregnancy, recessive genetic diseases and infectious diseases, etc. Early detection can avoid transmission of disease to partners and future generations.

In view of this, it is recommended that couples should conduct a physical examination plan before pregnancy/marriage. The pre-pregnancy/pre-marital physical examination plan launched by HEAL Medical includes physical examination, pre-marital genetic testing and a number of pre-marital examination items, such as Hepatitis B and HIV antibody examination. Men and women have different examination items, so as to comprehensively investigate and evaluate the health status of both parties and help couples prepare for pregnancy together.

Why is a Pre-pregnancy/ Pre-marital Checkup necessary?

Pre-pregnancy/pre-marital check-ups refer to a series of physical examinations and tests performed on the couple by a doctor to find out if they have any health problems before marriage. These checks include basic physical examination, blood and urine tests, hepatitis B, syphilis and other types of tests, etc. These tests can help doctors determine whether the couple suffers from any diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, in order to evaluate risk of inherited genetic disorders for the next generation.

Common hereditary diseases include:

Thalassemia
Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that primarily affects the synthesis of hemoglobin, causing abnormal hemoglobin to be produced in the patient's body. The disease is usually detected at an early age and persists for life. In Hong Kong, there is an average of 1 thalassemia gene carrier in every 12 people. If one of the parents carries the thalassemia gene, the child is at risk of developing mild thalassemia. Usually, those with mild anemia or carriers of the gene don't have any symptoms and don't need treatment. But if both parents carry the same type of thalassemia gene, the next generation of babies has a 1/4 chance of developing severe thalassemia, which may lead to early death or lifelong, regular blood transfusions and drug treatment. Therefore, early blood testing can be effective in preventing the birth of a baby with severe thalassemia.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is one of the important inspection items in the pre-marital inspection, because hepatitis B patients in Hong Kong are quite common, and about 8% of Hong Kong people are hepatitis B carriers. Hepatitis B can be transmitted through blood, sexual contact and mother-to-child transmission, but there is currently no effective cure. If the mother is a hepatitis B carrier, antiviral drugs can be used during delivery to reduce the risk of infection. In addition, vaccination against hepatitis B can also effectively prevent infection and protect your other half from infection.

Meanwhile, pre-pregnancy/pre-marital examination can also help prospective couples understand their sexually transmitted disease (STD) status, because some STDs may have no obvious symptoms, but may have a serious impact on married life. By going through testing, prospective couples can ensure that neither they nor their spouses are infected, reduce the risk of transmission between themselves and will be able to seek treatment if necessary. In addition, testing can help prospective couples determine whether they are of normal fertility so there can be enough time for treatment when planning a family.