Premarital health check-ups contribute to improving population quality

In more than 3 months, Ms. Nguyen Mai Hong and Mr. Nguyen Viet Anh, Tich Son Ward (Vinh Yen) will hold their wedding. Although they are busy preparing for the important event, they still take time to go to the City Medical Center for a pre-marital health check.

Ms. Hong shared: “At first, when mentioning premarital health check-up, my boyfriend hesitated and refused. However, after discussing clearly about the benefits of this, he thought seriously and agreed to participate. For me, premarital health check-up is very important, the results help us feel more secure and confident when entering life together, avoiding unnecessary risks.”

Pre-marital health check-ups help couples better understand their health status; it is an important preparation step to build a happy family life. Photo: Tra Huong

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health , each year, about 1.5 million children are born nationwide, of which about 40,000 have congenital malformations due to genetic diseases. Some common diseases include Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, neural tube defects, congenital hypothyroidism, G6PD deficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, severe congenital hemolytic anemia and many other genetic abnormalities and disorders.

Children with these diseases not only suffer from health and quality of life disadvantages but also face lifelong effects. Many cases require continuous treatment and care, resulting in large medical costs, affecting the family economy , and creating long-term pressure on the health and social security system.

To raise awareness among young people about the role of premarital counseling and health check-ups, the Department of Population and Health has stepped up communication and health education activities in the community. This aims to change behavior, help people, families and communities understand correctly, proactively approach and perform premarital health check-ups.

In 2024, the whole province will have more than 5,000 married couples, of which 4,528 couples will receive pre-marital counseling and health check-ups, reaching 89.20%. In addition, 1,680 young people will be provided with knowledge on reproductive health care and family planning. In the first 5 months of the year, there were 1,607 married couples in the province; the number of couples receiving pre-marital counseling and health check-ups accounted for 90%. Compared to the same period in 2024, this rate increased by 72.92%, reflecting a positive trend in proactively taking care of reproductive health before marriage among young people.

Ms. Vu Thi Phong Lan, an expert from the Department of Population, Department of Health, said: "The above figures show that young people's awareness of reproductive health care, especially premarital health check-ups, has changed significantly. The rate of couples receiving counseling and premarital health check-ups reached nearly 90% in 2024 and continued to increase in the first 5 months of the year, which is a positive sign.

Pre-marital health check-ups not only help detect genetic diseases and sexually transmitted diseases early, but also play an important role in improving the quality of the race, reducing the risk of giving birth to children with birth defects, thereby improving population quality in a sustainable way.

This is a testament to the effectiveness of communication and community consultation work in recent times, and at the same time affirms the practical role of the reproductive health care program for adolescents and young people."

Along with propaganda activities and promoting communication work, the model of "Pre-marital health consultation and examination" has been effectively deployed and expanded throughout the province. Up to now, the model has been deployed in 100% of communes, wards and towns, attracting more than 5,500 young people to participate.

Key activities include direct consultation; providing knowledge on reproductive health care, laws related to marriage and family, gender equality, life skills; and coordinating with district and city health centers and grassroots health stations to organize pre-marital health check-ups for couples preparing to get married.

Comrade Tran Thi Khang, an officer of Trung Nguyen Commune Health Station (Yen Lac) said: The model of "Pre-marital health examination and consultation" has brought about practical results. Previously, many couples were not fully aware of the importance of pre-marital health examination, leading to fear and subjectivity. However, thanks to regular communication work, combined with direct consultation sessions in villages and hamlets, more and more young people are proactively participating in pre-marital health examination and genetic counseling.

The model not only helps detect and prevent early diseases affecting reproductive health, but also contributes to changing behavior and raising young people's sense of responsibility in preparing for married life and giving birth safely and healthily. This is an important step in reproductive health care and improving population quality at the grassroots level."

Medical experts recommend that couples should proactively have a health check-up 3-6 months before marriage, especially for those who plan to have children soon after marriage. This not only helps detect potential diseases and genetic risks early, but also lays the foundation for a safe and healthy journey to parenthood.

Aiming for the goal of 90% of young men and women receiving pre-marital health check-ups by 2030, the Population Department and the Department of Health continue to closely coordinate with departments, branches and localities to promote propaganda, improve the quality of consultation, examination and service provision. This is not only a solution to improve population quality but also a practical action for a healthy and happy future for each family.

Bich Hue

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/129905/Kham-suc-khoe-tien-hon-nhan-gop-phan-nang-cao-chat-luong-dan-so