Is premarital screening safe for couples?

The appointment may include a health history, examination, blood tests, and counselling about selected inherited or infectious conditions. A blood draw can cause brief pain, bruising, or light-headedness. Screening does not predict every future health problem and a result may need confirmatory testing or specialist advice.

Results can affect both partners emotionally and may raise questions about privacy, family communication, or future children. Ask how results are stored, who can access them, and how the service handles consent. Each person should have a chance to ask questions privately if needed.

Bring identification, medication details, known family medical history, and any previous relevant results. Tell the clinician about pregnancy, recent illness, or difficulty with blood tests. Do not stop medicines or delay care while waiting for screening. If a result is unclear or concerning, arrange the recommended follow-up together while remembering that screening is information, not a final diagnosis.

Seek urgent help for collapse, severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, or a serious reaction after blood collection. Contact the clinic for persistent bleeding, marked swelling, or symptoms that continue after the appointment. Arrange timely follow-up for a result flagged for review, especially when it involves an infection, inherited condition, or a possible need for further testing.

Which conditions does this screening cover? What does an abnormal result mean, and which test confirms it? Who will receive our results? Can we speak separately with a counsellor? What follow-up is available before marriage?