Inherited Conditions and Premarital Screening

The inherited conditions that are far more common in this region because of cousin marriage: thalassaemia, sickle cell, G6PD deficiency, familial Mediterranean fever, and how premarital screening programmes work.

12 articles

Genetic Conditions articles

Genetic Conditions

Thalassemia and Cousin Marriage in Syria: Why Premarital Screening Matters

Thalassemia is one of the most common inherited disorders in Syria, and cousin marriage raises its risk. Learn how it is inherited and why a premarital test protects your children.

6 August 2026 · 8 min read
Genetic Conditions

G6PD deficiency (favism): the foods and drugs to avoid

A practical guide to G6PD deficiency: the avoid list covering fava beans, naphthalene and risky drugs, and how to recognise a haemolytic crisis before it becomes an emergency.

4 August 2026 · 7 min read
Genetic Conditions

Congenital hypothyroidism: why the newborn heel prick matters

Congenital hypothyroidism is fully treatable if caught in the first days. How newborn screening works, what abnormal results mean, and why timing is critical.

4 August 2026 · 9 min read
Genetic Conditions

Down syndrome screening in pregnancy: what results mean

Screening versus diagnosis for Down syndrome: what a risk ratio really means, NIPT accuracy, and when to seek genetic counselling.

28 July 2026 · 8 min read
Genetic Conditions

Sickle cell disease: crises, care and carrier status

Sickle cell disease in the Gulf: pain crisis triggers, hydroxyurea treatment, and what carrier status means for marriage planning.

24 July 2026 · 7 min read
Genetic Conditions

Genetic counselling: what happens and who should go

Who needs genetic counselling, what happens in the session, carrier testing explained, and reproductive options presented with respect for cultural and religious values.

22 July 2026 · 8 min read
Genetic Conditions

Cousin marriage and genetic risk: the honest numbers

Cousin marriage is common across the Arab world. This page explains the real numbers behind genetic risk, which conditions cluster, and what screening and counselling can do.

22 July 2026 · 9 min read
Genetic Conditions

Premarital screening: what tests are done and what results mean

Premarital screening is mandatory in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain. Learn what is tested, what carrier-carrier results mean in real odds, and how counselling works.

14 July 2026 · 9 min read
Genetic Conditions

Haemophilia: bleeding disorders explained

Haemophilia A and B explained: inheritance, diagnosis, factor replacement, joint protection, and managing the condition when treatment access is limited.

14 July 2026 · 9 min read
Genetic Conditions

Newborn Heel Prick Screening: What It Tests and Why

Learn what the newborn heel prick test screens for across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan and Egypt, when results arrive, and what to do if your baby gets an abnormal result.

8 July 2026 · 7 min read
Genetic Conditions

Familial Mediterranean Fever: attacks, colchicine and monitoring

FMF causes recurrent fever and pain in people from the Mediterranean region. Learn the attack pattern, why colchicine must be taken every day, and when to test for the gene.

8 July 2026 · 9 min read
Genetic Conditions

Cystic Fibrosis in Arab Families: The Under-Recognised Diagnosis

Cystic fibrosis is more common in Arab families than assumed, often misdiagnosed for years. Learn to recognise it, what the sweat test shows, and how the heat risk is managed.

8 July 2026 · 7 min read

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