A Nigerian father has expressed regret after his daughter was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, saying he ignored genotype compatibility before marriage because of his religious beliefs.
The father revealed that he and his wife discovered they were both AS before getting married but decided to proceed with the marriage because he believed his faith and prayers would prevent them from having a child with sickle cell disease.
He said watching his daughter go through a sickle cell crisis has made him realise the seriousness of the decision he made.
According to him, he had dated his wife for three years without sexual intimacy because of his religious convictions. He said that after they discovered they were both AS, he convinced himself that his faithfulness to God would protect their future children.
The father, who described his decision as “foolishness,” urged couples not to ignore medical and scientific realities because of their religious beliefs.
“Prayer cannot solve it if you open your eyes and make a mistake that reality has already shown you,” he said.
He said his experience should serve as a warning to other couples to take genotype compatibility seriously before marriage and to seek appropriate medical advice when making decisions about their future children.
