How does thalassemia minor affect pregnancy?

How does thalassemia minor affect pregnancy?

During pregnancy, women with thalassemia minor will often show more significant anemia, which is often most prominent during the latter half of the second trimester and early third trimester (4-7).

Is thalassemia safe during pregnancy?

Pregnant women with thalassemia are at risk of miscarriage, pre eclampsia, a small for gestatinal age fetus, fetal growth restriction and needing for blood transfusion. Not much complication is expected in those with minor thalassemia except for increase need for blood transfusion.

Does alpha thalassemia minor affect pregnancy?

This is caused by four missing genes or gene changes. It’s the most serious form of alpha thalassemia. It can lead to stillbirth or the death of a baby shortly after birth. Stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

How can we prevent thalassemia during pregnancy?

Whether you have thalassaemia or are a carrier, your doctor will advise you to take 5mg of folic acid daily throughout your pregnancy . This is because thalassaemia may increase the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida . Taking a high dose of folic acid daily reduces this risk .

How is thalassemia treated in pregnancy?

Often, women with beta thalassemia will need to use medications to help them ovulate in order to become pregnant. Many health problems caused by beta thalassemia have to do with too much iron in your body. Iron can build up because of the disease itself and the frequent blood transfusions you may need to treat it.

Does thalassemia minor affect male fertility?

Male infertility in β-thalassemia patients is typically considered to be the consequence of iron deposition in the endocrine glands. Adult male patients with β-thalassemia, on regular blood transfusions, are prone to developing acquired hypogonadism.

What is the difference between thalassemia minor and thalassemia trait?

People who have thalassemia trait (also called thalassemia minor) carry the genetic trait for thalassemia but do not usually experience any health problems except perhaps a mild anemia. A person may have either alpha thalassemia trait or beta thalassemia trait, depending upon which form of beta protein is lacking.

When both parents have alpha thalassemia trait, there usually is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance in each pregnancy for the baby to have alpha thalassemia disease and a 75% (or 3 in 4) chance that the baby will not have this disease.

What is thalassemia minor in pregnancy?

KEY POINTS. Thalassemia is a blood condition that can cause health problems for your baby. It’s passed from parents to children through changes in genes. You and your partner can have carrier screening before or during pregnancy to find out if you have the gene change that causes thalassemia.

Can a normal person marry thalassemia minor?

If one is a Thalassaemia Minor one must get the spouse/future spouse also tested. If both partners in a marriage are Thalassaemia Minor, there is a 25% chance in every pregnancy that their child will be a Thalassaemia Major.

How is thalassemia diagnosed in fetus?

How is thalassemia diagnosed in your baby?

1. Chorionic villus sampling (also called CVS). This test checks tissue from the placenta to see if your baby has a genetic condition.
2. Amniocentesis (also called amnio). This test takes some amniotic fluid from around your baby in the uterus.

What should thalassemia minor patients eat?

Nutrition is very important for many, especially those with thalassemia. Individuals are encouraged to eat a balanced diet consisting of protein, grains, fruits, and vegetables and may need to pay extra attention to ensure not getting high amounts of iron through their diet.

What happens if you have thalassemia in pregnancy?

It is due to effective premarital and school screening program. Some women were diagnosed in pregnancy following anaemia work up. Pregnant women with thalassemia are at risk of miscarriage, pre eclampsia, a small for gestatinal age fetus, fetal growth restriction and needing for blood transfusion.

What foods can you eat if you have thalassemia in pregnancy?

Thalassemia minor pregnancy diets are not very different from other diets. Like all pregnant women, folic acid should be an essential component of your meals. Spinach, pulses and beetroot are some easily available sources of folic acid. You should also eat iron-rich foods.

How many people die perinatally from thalassemia major?

This includes 30,000 who would need regular blood transfusions and 5500 who would die perinatally of thalassemia major. Over 9 million carriers become pregnant annually. The risk that their partner is also a carrier ranges from 0.1-40% (14% average globally).

Can a blood test show beta thalassemia minor?

For the ones having beta thalassemia minor their doctor is going to recommend them to have additional tests for checking their quality of iron before prescribing pills for them. Beta thalassemia minor could have an effect on the blood test results for the duration of pregnancy and show low iron stores when they are not.

What is the difference between thalassemia minor and major?

Thalassemia minor is a mild form of the disease in which the patient inherits only one mutated gene and act as a carrier. Thalassemia major is a severe form of the disease that can cause serious illness. Thalassemia is a group of genetic blood disorders that is characterized by destruction of red blood cells and hemoglobin higher than normal.

Does thalassemia cause low iron?

If the RDW is low (the cells are mostly the same size), then it’s probably thalassemia. If the RDW is high (the cells vary a lot in size), then it’s probably iron deficiency anemia.

What is thalassemia minor disease?

(Definition/Background Information) Beta Thalassemia Minor (or Thalassemia Minor), a rare genetic blood disorder, is a defect in the synthesis of beta chains of hemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen to the tissues). Unlike Thalassemia Major, Thalassemia Minor has only one defective beta globin gene.

When was thalassemia discovered?

Thalassemia was discovered by a pediatrician named Dr. Thomas Benton Cooley in 1925 (hence the name Cooley’s anemia.) The name thalassemia was coined later by Dr. George Whipple and Dr. Wm Bradford (thalassa in Greek means the sea & -emia means something in the blood) so thalassemia literally means sea in the blood.