Abstract
Background: Genetic abnormalities in the Gulf area are increasing especially heamoglobinopathy and sickle cell disease. This can be attributed to increased rate of consanguineous marriage. Therefore, premarital genetic testing can play an important role in minimizing genetic abnormalities in the community. Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the literature to describe premarital genetic screening in primary care units particularly in Saudi Arabia. Method: the literature was reviewed through PubMed database in the duration between 2008 and 2018. Search terms included were a combination of "premarital, 'genetic screening and "Saudi Arabia''. The results were then filtered to include original research articles investigating premarital genetic testing in primary care units in Saudi Arabia. Selected trials mentioned the targeted age group in addition to the genetic abnormality targeted by the screening program. Result: A total of 72 articles were retrieved. Following including only trials in Saudi Arabia, 23 articles appeared. After checking for the eligibility criteria, a total of six articles were considered as eligible to be included in our systematic review that were published between 2008 and 2018 covering a total of 1,576,496 Saudi citizens. Four trials included young adult subjects. While the other two trials included subjects with a wider range of age, from 19 to 50 and from 17 to 58 years old, respectively. All the trials examined the importance of genetic testing for both thalassemia and sickle cell anemia either through assessing knowledge and awareness of the community toward the importance of this test or through determining the rate of at risk marriages; however, Olwi et al examined thalassemia only. Conclusion: Awareness towards genetic testing needs to be increased in the Saudi Arabian community. More genetic abnormalities need to be included in premarital genetic screening.