What does premarital screening in Jordan cover, and does it detect all inherited diseases?
Jordan’s Ministry of Health describes premarital screening for haemoglobin disorders, including thalassaemia and sickle cell disease. It does not test every gene or inherited disorder and is not a fertility test. Family history or results may warrant genetic counselling and targeted additional tests.
Details
What does being a carrier mean?
A thalassaemia carrier may be well and does not have the same condition as an affected person. The risk to children depends on both partners’ results and the genetic change involved. One partner’s result alone cannot establish pregnancy risk.
If follow-up is needed
A specialist explains the findings, confirmatory tests and available options without judging the decision to marry. For some recessive disorders, when both partners carry the disease-causing change for the same condition, the affected-child risk can be one in four in each pregnancy. This must be interpreted for the specific diagnosis.
Before attending
Check the approved centre and required documents with the Ministry of Health, and bring previous results and family history. Do not assume screening includes every enzyme deficiency, infection or a comprehensive DNA analysis unless specifically requested.
Related reading: When should I consider genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer?.