A Nigerian father has shared his painful regret after his daughter was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, revealing that he ignored genotype compatibility before marriage because of his religious beliefs.

According to him, he and his wife discovered they were both AS before getting married but decided to proceed with the marriage after he convinced himself that his faith and prayers would prevent them from having a child with sickle cell disease.

He said watching his daughter go through repeated sickle cell crises has made him realise the seriousness of the decision he made.

The father explained that he had dated his wife for three years without engaging in sexual intimacy because of his religious convictions. After learning that they were both AS, he believed that his faithfulness to God would protect their future children from inheriting the condition.

Reflecting on his decision, he described it as “foolishness” and urged intending couples not to ignore medical and scientific realities because of religious beliefs.

He said:

“Prayer cannot solve it if you open your eyes and make a mistake that reality has already shown you.”

The father expressed hope that his experience would serve as a warning to others, encouraging couples to take genotype compatibility seriously before marriage to reduce the risk of having children with sickle cell disease.

His emotional story has since sparked widespread reactions online, with many social media users urging intending couples to prioritise genotype testing and informed decision-making before marriage.