"Four" Your Health... Get These Tests Done!
Let's talk about the "less fun", yet very important, part of getting married: Medical Check-Ups! Both you and your partner want to ensure that you will have a happy and healthy marriage, right? Knowing your partner’s health doesn’t mean that you don't trust them or that your marriage is doomed from the start! It's simply a mutual investment in each other so that any underlying illnesses can be addressed to give each other piece of mind! Of course, some of these tests may have more serious consequences if something does pop up - but finding out "now" is much better than finding out once it's too late!
#1: STD Tests
HIV, hepatitis B and C are conditions that last for your entire life and can certainly put a tremendous amount of strain on a marriage (especially if they're not caught early). Other STD's can be treated (somewhat) easily - doing so will greatly reduce potential issues with pregnancy down the road. You can use STDCheck.com to locate a private testing facility near you!
#2: Blood Group Compatibility Test
Incompatible blood groups can lead to issues during pregnancy. These issues could include things like Rhesus Disease (a condition where antibodies in a pregnant woman's blood destroy her baby's blood cells). Women with rhesus negative blood group married to rhesus positive husbands actually have a greater chance of experiencing this, leading to intrauterine death and miscarriages.
#3: Fertility Tests
If you do plan on having children (or even if you're simply considering it), this is essential! Fertility tests early on in a marriage (or before the wedding) can help reduce a lot of "trial and error" (although...) when the time comes to conceive. Infertility can be a very trying situation and, in many cases, a very expensive one!
#4: Testing for Genetic or Chronic Medical Conditions
Early testing will allow you to seek treatment before the condition becomes terminal. Typically, these tests include screening for diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers and kidney disease just to name a few. You can make the decision to test for other specific conditions based on your region, family history, exposure to hazardous materials, etc.
Our friends at Amazon have accumulated a number of tests that can be ordered online and delivered to your home. You'll most likely need to visit a lab to have the blood drawn, but this isn't a bad solution if convenience is your primary concern!
