Many parents get depressed by the birth of a baby with some genetic disorder. As per the study conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) 10 in every 1000 new born suffer from genetic disorders and “Thalassemia” is one of the most common one.
Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder which leads to the abnormal formation of hemoglobin. The symptoms are of various kinds and can vary as well. If one of the parents is a carrier of this disorder then the chances of the child also being a carrier is 50%. If both the parents are a carrier of the disorder, then the chances of having a child with Thalassemia major is 25%.
Here are five things you must know about this disorder:
- People suffering with Thalassemia can have mild or severe anemia– a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.
- Thalassemia can also cause complications, including iron overload, bone deformities, and cardiovascular illness.
- There are two main types of Thalassemia that are seen noticed in patients- Alpha Thalassemia and Beta Thalassemia. Alpha Thalassemia mainly occurs when the genes related to the alpha globin protein are missing whereas Beta Thalassemia occurs when similar genes affect the production of the beta globin protein. Each of these two forms of Thalassemia has several distinct types. This is a very rare disease and will only happen to you if your parents have the same. In fact, 1 in 12 persons in the Middle East is said to be thalassemia carrier.
- People who are Thalassemia minor do not have any visible symptoms. Whereas, Thalassemia major patients may have bone deformities, enlargement of spleen and liver, heart problems, slow growth, delayed puberty, poor appetite, jaundice, anemia, etc.
- In severe case of Thalassemia patient can have early death i.e. between age 20 to 30 due to heart failure. The study shows 20% of infant mortality occurs due to genetic disorders.
Genetic disorders cannot be cured but can be prevented by getting yourself and your partner screened by IGENOMIX Carrier Genetic Test (CGT). The CGT is an important family planning genetic test because it helps determine the risk of having a child with a genetic disease. The test results inform on whether the parents are carriers of one or more genetic mutations. The carriers are usually healthy people, but when both parents are carriers of a mutation in the same gene it can result in an affected child. So, if you are planning to have a baby and do not want to have an affected child, then get yourself screened first!
