Test sequentially
One partner screens first. If they are a carrier, the other partner is offered relevant screening. This can reduce unnecessary testing, but it takes longer.
Good when you are planning well ahead.The uncomfortable question
Families ask about income, surnames, horoscopes, habits, and family history. Why do almost none ask about the hidden overlap that could materially change a child's health?
This is not about finding a different partner. It is about giving two people more time, more context, and more choices before they begin a family.
Understand the testPremarital carrier screening • For future parents
Before children, know whateach of you carries.
Saath helps people planning marriage and children understand carrier screening, test privately through Meridian DNA, and review shared reproductive risk together—with consent and professional guidance.
1
You can start aloneYour partner does not need to be ready on day one.
2
Couple risk needs both resultsOne report cannot reveal a shared recessive risk.
Your carrier result belongs to you. A joint review happens only when both partners knowingly agree to share their reports.
Your path to a couple reviewNot a dating service
01
One partner startsTake the ₹15,000 carrier screen through Meridian DNA.
Start alone02
The other partner testsTest sequentially after a carrier finding, or test together to save time.
With consent03
Review shared riskA qualified professional interprets both reports and explains next steps.
Both reports01 Screening by Meridian DNA
02 Current price ₹15,000 each
03 Typical timeline about 3 weeks
04 Doctor consultation included
Carrier screening, explained
Most carriers are healthy.
Most have no idea.
For most genes, a child inherits one copy from their biological mother and one from their biological father. A carrier has one working copy and one altered copy linked to a recessive condition, usually without symptoms. The couple-level risk becomes important when both biological parents carry an altered copy in the same gene.
Biological fatherHealthy carrier
Biological motherHealthy carrier
Working copyAltered copy
25%Child may be affectedTwo altered copies
50%Child may be a carrierOne altered copy
25%Child may inherit neitherTwo working copies
These odds reset with every pregnancy. This 25/50/25 example applies when both parents carry the same autosomal recessive condition; X-linked and other inheritance patterns differ.
Do both partners need to test?
To understand shared risk, yes.
One person's report can identify their carrier findings. It cannot show whether a couple carries a finding in the same gene. A couple-level assessment needs results from both reproductive partners.
If a result is positive
A shared result changes the conversation.Not the relationship.
A carrier finding is information, not a diagnosis and not a judgment. Most carriers are healthy. Saath never decides who you can love, marry, or build a family with.
+
One partner has a carrier finding
The result usually does not mean that person is ill. The next step is typically to offer the other reproductive partner screening for the relevant condition or panel.
Next: partner testing + interpretationBoth partners carry a finding in the same recessive gene
For many autosomal recessive conditions, each pregnancy has a 25% chance of an affected child, a 50% chance of a carrier child, and a 25% chance of a child inheriting neither variant. Other inheritance patterns can differ.
Next: condition-specific genetic counseling↗
The couple chooses what happens next
Options may include natural conception with or without prenatal diagnosis, IVF with condition-specific embryo testing, donor eggs or sperm, adoption, or preparing for a child's care. No single path is required.
Next: your values, your decisionOur non-negotiable promise
We explain risk. We do not approve relationships.
No result blocks access, labels a person undesirable, or tells a couple to separate. If two people share a genetic risk, they receive clearer information, privacy, and a route to qualified counseling. The decision to marry and the decision about children remain entirely theirs.
What you will actually read
See a shared-risk result before you test.
Meridian describes a doctor-ready PDF, risk summary, and action plan, but does not publish a full specimen. This is an illustrative Saath couple summary showing the information a useful joint review should make unmistakable—not an authentic Meridian report.
saathIllustrative couple summary
Finding reviewed
Beta thalassemia
GeneHBB
InheritanceAutosomal recessive
Couple riskElevated for this condition
A
Partner ACarrier finding detected
PositiveB
Partner BCarrier finding detected
PositiveWhat this means
For each pregnancy together
If the laboratory confirms that both partners carry relevant pathogenic variants in the same autosomal recessive gene, the probabilities reset for every pregnancy.
25%chance the child is affected
50%chance the child is a carrier
25%chance the child inherits neither variant
This result is not a verdict on your relationship.
It does not mean either partner is sick. It does not mean you cannot marry or have children. It means a genetic counselor should explain the exact variants, test limitations, and choices available to you.
Recommended next steps
- 1
Review both original laboratory reportsConfirm the gene, variants, classification, and whether additional testing is needed.
- 2
Meet a qualified genetics professionalDiscuss condition severity, residual risk, family history, and questions that matter to you.
- 3
Choose together—without pressureNatural conception, prenatal diagnosis, IVF with PGT-M, donor options, adoption, or preparation may be discussed. No path is automatically prescribed.
Why know before pregnancy?
Because timing changes your choices.
Learning about a shared risk earlier gives a couple time to understand the condition, speak to a genetic counselor, and make decisions according to their own values—without a pregnancy deadline.
Replace uncertainty with context
Learn whether both partners carry a reportable finding in the same recessive gene.
Keep more paths open
A counselor can explain natural conception, prenatal diagnosis, IVF with embryo testing, donor options, or preparation.
Test once, use it for years
Carrier status generally does not change, so a result may inform future pregnancies and relatives who could share it.
Plan as a couple
The result is information for a shared conversation—not a verdict on the relationship.
What could screening uncover?
Conditions that can seriously shape a child's life.
The exact panel matters. Depending on the genes and variants tested, carrier findings can be associated with inherited conditions such as these.
ThalassemiaSevere anaemia that may require lifelong blood transfusions and treatment
Sickle cell diseasePain crises, anaemia, infections, and possible organ complications
Spinal muscular atrophyProgressive muscle weakness that can affect movement, swallowing, and breathing
Cystic fibrosisThick mucus that can cause chronic lung infections and digestive problems
Tay–Sachs diseaseA rare progressive neurological condition, often beginning in infancy
Examples are educational, not a confirmed list of Meridian DNA's current panel. A positive screen is not a diagnosis; results require condition-specific interpretation.
What a couple review means
It can
Make one category of reproductive risk more visible.
- Identify shared findings in the same recessive gene
- Flag findings that need condition-specific counseling
- Explain residual risk after a negative screen
- Prepare better questions for a doctor or genetic counselor
It cannot
Decide whether two people belong together.
- Guarantee a healthy child
- Measure love, intelligence, personality, or worth
- Label a person or couple genetically “compatible”
- Replace professional medical advice or diagnostic testing
Privacy by design
Being a couple is not blanket consent.
Genetic results are personal health information. Each partner should control their own report, choose whether it can be used in a joint review, and be able to withdraw that permission.
01
Separate authorizationEach partner gives permission for their own report. Consent is never assumed.
02
Minimum necessary detailA couple summary should focus on shared reproductive risk, not expose unrelated findings.
03
Humans for hard conversationsA qualified professional—not an automated score—explains meaningful findings and limitations.
Good to know
Clear answers before you begin.
Do both partners have to test?+
Not to begin. One person can screen first. But a couple-level assessment requires information from both reproductive partners. If the first partner is a carrier, the other partner is typically offered screening; couples may also screen in parallel.
Do we upload both reports?+
Not to order the Meridian tests. Each partner receives their own report. Any future Saath joint review should require each partner to separately authorize their own report—never one person uploading both without permission.
Does a shared finding mean we are incompatible?+
No. It means the couple may have an increased chance of a child being affected by a particular condition. A genetic counselor can explain the condition, the specific probability, testing limitations, and reproductive options.
Is ₹15,000 the couple price?+
No. Meridian currently lists ₹15,000 per person, so two individual screens would total ₹30,000. Pricing may change and should be confirmed directly with Meridian before ordering.
Does a negative result guarantee a healthy child?+
No. Screening covers defined genes and variants and leaves residual risk. It cannot assess every genetic condition, pregnancy complication, or cause of childhood illness.
Your first step
Start alone.
Plan together.
Complete your carrier screening with Meridian DNA. If you already have a partner, you can test sequentially or order two individual screens at the same time.
Start one screen · ₹15,000 Screening is purchased directly from Meridian DNA.Carrier screeningPer person
One individual screen₹15,000
Two individual screens₹30,000
At-home sample collectionIncluded
Doctor consultationIncluded
Typical time to resultsAbout 3 weeks