Beginning in the early 20th century, a number of U.S. states passed laws mandating medical examinations for one or both parties before marriage. The most common requirement was a blood test for syphilis, though other diseases such as gonorrhea and rubella were sometimes also targeted. If a partner tested positive, they would generally be required to undergo treatment before they could receive a marriage license.
Such laws were once widespread in the United States, with all but eight states requiring premarital blood tests by 1954.[1] Mandatory testing was also in effect in parts of Canada,[2] and some European nations such as Sweden.[1] Most of these laws were repealed by the late 20th or early 21st century.