Pre-marital Screening
Pre-marital screening is a comprehensive group of tests for those who are planning to get married. Most individuals are not fully aware of the exact condition of their health, a person may look healthy, but he/she may have undetected health problems, or be a silent carrier of infectious or hereditary diseases. For couples considering marriage, pre-marital screening helps identify potential health problems and risks for themselves and also their offspring. Couples in a consanguineous marriage run the risk of having children with genetic birth defects such as Down’s syndrome and Thallasemia, as such, it is vital for these couples to be screened in order to aid them to understand their genetics and help them take the necessary precautions or treatments.

A routine blood test can help people to know about their health condition and help them to take necessary precautions or treatments.

Importance of Pre-marital screening
Pre-marital screening enables an individual to:

• Assess the general health status
• Detect infectious diseases e.g. HIV and Hepatitis B infection
• Screen hereditary conditions that may effect the future offspring | e.g. Thalassemia
• Screen for fertility problems

1. Chromosomal Disorders (Blood Karyotyping)
2. Infectious Diseases:
   - Hepatitis A/B
   - Hepatitis C
   - HIV 1,2
   - Syphilis
3. Thyroid Function Test
4. Biochemical and Metabolic Disorder Analysis
   • Thalassemia Test
   • Sickle Cell Anemia Test
   • Congenital Hypothyroidism – TSH
   • G6PD Deficiency
   • Galactose – (Gal and Gal- 1-P)
   • Galactose – Uridyltransferase
   • Phenylketonuria
   • Other Metabolic Disorders
     • Organic Acidemias:
       - 3 Hydroxy 3 Methylglutaryl CoA Lyase Deficiency ( HMG )
       - Glutaric Acidemia Type 1
       - Isobutyryl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - Isovaleric Acidemia
       - 2 Methylbutryl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - 3 Methylcrotonyl CoA Carboxylase Deficiency
       - Methylmalomic Acidemia
       - Mitochondrial Acetoacetyl CoA Thiolase Deficiency
       - Propionic Acidemia
       - Multiple – CoA Carboxylase Deficiency
       
     • Acylcarnitine Profile :
       - Carnitine / Acylcarnitine Translocase Deficiency
       - 3 Hydroxy Long chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - Medium Chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCAD)
       - Multiple Acyl Co A Dehydrogenase Deficiency ( Glutaric Acidemia)
       - Neonatal Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase Deficiency
       - Short Chain Acyl Co A Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - Short Chain Hydroxy Acyl Co A Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - Trifunctional Protein Deficiency
       - Very Long Acyl Co A Dehydrogenase Deficiency
       - Octanoyl Carnitine ( C8 )
       
     • Amino Acid Profile:
       - Carbamylphosphate Synthetase Deficiency
       - 2,4 Dienoyl Co A Reductase Deficiency
       - 5 – Oxoprolinuria ( Pyroglutamic Acidemia)
       - Hyperammonemia,Hyperornithinemia,Homocitrullinemia Syndrome(HHH)
       - Hyperornithinemia with Gyral Atrophy
       - Hyperargininemia due to Arginase
       - Malonic Aciduria
       - Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency
       - Arginase Deficiency
       - Biotinidase Deficiency
       - Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
       - Cystic Fibrosis
       - Hemoglobin mutations
       
5. Male Fertility Test (optional)
6. Genetic Test (optional)

STEP 1