Tests to be performed before marriage

The tests performed in Jordan are limited to thalassemia tests only. When it is discovered that one or both suitors carry the gene for thalassemia, they are directed to the concerned genetic counseling centers where these centers explain and inform the suitors and their families about the nature of the disease and its complications and the risk for the newborn / the child, the couples, and the society. The final decision of whether to marry or not remains for the suitors. The service is provided free of charge in all areas, whether in Amman or the governorates.

Thalassemia

It is a genetic disorder in blood cells, which leads to a decrease in the strength of the blood (hemoglobin), and a decrease in the number of red blood cells below the normal range, due to a genetic mutation in the DNA of the cells that make up hemoglobin, and this mutation is genetically transmitted from parents to children, causing the occurrence of genetic mutations to disrupt the production of normal hemoglobin, and therefore low levels of hemoglobin, and a high rate of red blood cell damage, (which happens in patients with thalassemia) leads to the emergence of symptoms of anemia.

Complications

·        Heart and liver disease: Regular blood transfusions are a treatment for thalassemia. Blood transfusions can cause iron to build up in the blood as it can damage organs and tissues due to the deposition of iron in them, especially the heart and liver.

·        Weak immunity, which leads to the easy transmission of diseases.

·        Osteoporosis.

 Diagnosis

·        Blood tests, including complete blood count.

·        Performing hemoglobin tests in a blood sample.

·        Perform a blood iron level test to see if the anemia is due to iron deficiency or thalassemia.

·        The family medical history helps in the diagnosis.

·        A biopsy can be taken from the placenta during pregnancy between the eleventh to the fourteenth week or from the amniotic fluid after the fifteenth week to find out if the child is infected or a carrier of this disease. There is a modern blood test taken from the mother’s blood to study the fetal DNA present in the mother’s blood after the ninth week of pregnancy, to diagnose the disease early.

Considering check with the doctor to perform the necessary tests.

 Treatment

The treatment requires visiting a specialist doctor. The Ministry of Health does not bear the treatment of the child in the event of an affected child, as the suitors are advised not to marry if they are diagnosed with the disease.

Protection

·        Premarital examination.

·        Thalassemia cannot be prevented because it is hereditary (pass on from parents to children through genes). However, tests during pregnancy can detect these blood disorders before birth.