In the not-so-distant past, the road to matrimony often involved an unexpected detour for many couples: the blood test. Before saying “I do,” lovebirds were required to roll up their sleeves and undergo a medical examination that involved drawing blood. Should we still consider factors like health, genetic compatibility, and blood relations before exchanging vows? Let’s talk about it…

Lynda Lynn: “It was for having children. There are some blood incompatibilities but medicine has evolved and they can manage pregnancies better.”

Sandy Tapia: “Me with my first marriage.”

Feliz Flores: “ME!”

Robert Salcido: “It was done as a health measure to ensure the couple didn’t have syphilis.
I’ve also heard it was to ensure the couple wasn’t related.”

Sally Keen: “Yes!! We had to and yes I wondered about that!!”

Mikey Barrera: “It was required to reduce inbreeding and medical costs associated with the long term effect of care for an inbred child; you kissing cousins!”

Anthony C. Tobias: “Well yes, but I would think couples would do that on their own before getting married. But many people just don’t use common sense. Not sure if the Catholic church still has required premarital classes. I remember attending these classes with about 25 to 30 other couples. I remember we used to fill out a questionnaire asking basic questions. Do you both plan on working after marriage? Do you plan on having any children? Where do you plan on living after you get married? What do you expect of your partner? Yvette Tello, I could not believe that almost half of the couples getting married hadn’t even discussed issues like this. I understood why the divorce rate was increasing so much. Please understand that was almost 40 years ago. If anything that would be a good question to ask. If they believe that it is important to discuss these types of issues before they’re even engaged?”

Ramon Chapa Jr.: “Mental Health tests make more common sense!”

Lori Lucas: “It should have been a lie detector test!”

Karona Reece:”They should start doing DNA testing now before marriage. Too many baby mamas and baby daddys running around. They need to make sure they’re not siblings. It’s getting to the point that our future will be an inbred society.”

April Gansmann: “They need to start doing that again.”

Sue Slowey: “Well nowadays a lot of people have children before they are married!!!!”

Jeanie Barnes: “That is how I knew my husband Gary loved me. He was terrified of needles. We were married in 1973.”

Izola Price: “I think that was done so you don’t marry a relative.”

Bonnie Witzel: “Yes. You had to allow a certain time for the “results” to come back, then apply for your license. We did all this in 1957.”

Adam Masterson: “Mental health tests are more appropriate these days!”

Jacqueline Greenwood: “Now they all just cohabitate and reproduce..and leave and go to the next…it’s showing that the cross pollination of some of you all is affecting the gene pool.”

Michael Richard Partridge: “No! When and where was this in force?”

Cathy Bingham: “I did. I came into the house waving my test results saying ‘Look Mom, no VD!,’ She didn’t think it was funny!”

James Meldrum: “Blood test ? What on earth was that for ? I’ve never heard of it before getting married.”