Dr. Kamalini Venkat

6 Reasons Pre-marital Counselling is Crucial for Indian Couples

A study published in the Journal of Family Psychology reveals that couples who opt for pre-marital counselling experience higher levels of conjugal satisfaction than couples who don’t go for it. Moreover, these couples, experience a 30% drop in the possibility of divorce over a 5-year period.

Pre-marital counselling is a wise choice as it can help you and your partner to better understand the dynamics of your relationship and build the foundation of a happy future together.

A pre-marital counselling helps you with the following factors-

1. Hygiene: Apart from stressing on the importance of personal health and hygiene, you would also hear a gynaecologist, emphasizing on the significance of sexual hygiene for a problem-free married life. While preventing infections that may affect your reproductive system, maintaining sexual hygiene can also significantly elevate the overall hygiene levels of your entire body.
2. Sex: Pre-marital sex counselling is essential as it helps to fill in the gaps in your knowledge of sex. During your consultation with a gynaecologist, you can expect to receive information about the male and female anatomy as well as about the actual act. Even thoughts like “sex can be painful” get addressed during the counselling.
3. Contraceptives: Counselling sessions with a gynaecologist can also help you in getting your facts right about pregnancy. He or she could guide you on how to work out safe and unsafe days to have sex; talk to you about contraceptive methods; and best family planning practices.
4. Folic acid for pregnancy: During a counselling session, you can expect to be encouraged by a gynaecologist to have Vitamin B (folic acid) before and during your pregnancy to avert birth defects in the brain and spinal cord of your potential offspring.  
5. Vaccines: Opting for a counselling session before marriage can help you to learn about vaccines that will protect you against cervical cancer (cancer of the cervix caused mainly by HPV- a virus) and rubella (a disease caused by the rubella virus, which can cause miscarriage, birth defects and stillbirth).
6. Medical investigations: You should also expect investigations based on the following tests-
   • Complete blood count test: The aim of this test is to assess your overall health and identify a range of disorders such as anaemia, leukaemia, and infection to name a few.
   • Fasting/blood sugar test: The test is performed to diagnose diabetes.  A fasting blood glucose level of less than 100mg/dl is considered normal.
   • Thyroid stimulating hormone test: This test is taken to check for problems in the thyroid gland.
   • Rubella test: It is used to identify antibodies that are formed in the blood, as a result of immunisation or the rubella infection.
   • HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography): The test is performed to determine Thalassemia.
   • Urine microscopy: The test helps in determining the condition of your urinary tract and kidney. It identifies injury, presence of disease or inflammation of these areas. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychologist.

1. Drink plenty of water.        
2. Use oil free cosmetic products.        
3. Wash a face twice a day.        
4. Use sunscreen daily.     
5. Make sure that the hands/ towel is clean when you touch your face.    
6. Eat food rich in water, fresh fruits, chicken, boiled fish, whole grains.        
7. Prefer steaming, boiling, grilling methods for cooking over frying.
8. Don’t stress.  
9. Carry oil-absorbing tissues to wipe away oil whenever necessary.       
10. Don't ever go to bed with make-up on.        
11. Avoid smoking and drinking.        
12. Don't use creamy or milk cleansers.         
13. Don't over wash face.        
14. Don’t eat fried and processed foods.        
15. Avoid sugary products.