Common reasons for positive initial screening for thalassemia

Every couple must have a comprehensive physical examination when they want to have a child, because only by checking can they stay away from a positive initial screening for thalassemia, so that the child born will be healthier. So what are the common reasons for a positive initial screening for thalassemia? If you want to have a comprehensive understanding of this knowledge, you can read the detailed introduction below.

1. If only one of the couple has thalassemia minor, is prenatal diagnosis necessary?

unnecessary. There is only a 1/2 chance that the fetus they are carrying will have mild thalassemia, the remaining 1/2 will be normal fetuses, and they will not conceive a fetus with severe thalassemia.

2. During the pregnancy checkup, if the woman was not diagnosed with thalassemia, does the man need to be tested for thalassemia?

Generally not necessary. In this case, even if the man has severe thalassemia, the fetus he is carrying will at most be a patient with mild thalassemia, which is not a big deal.

Does a 3.1/4 chance of severe thalassemia mean that there is a chance of giving birth to a child with severe thalassemia in one of four pregnancies?

uncertain. The 1/4 chance should be understood like this: that is, there is a 1/4 chance of conceiving a baby with thalassemia major in each pregnancy, rather than there being a chance of conceiving a baby with thalassemia major only once in four pregnancies.

4. Is there any hope for a pregnant woman who has had hydrops fetuses three times to give birth to a normal child?

There is a chance. If both husband and wife have thalassemia minor, there is only a 1/4 chance of having thalassemia major each time they become pregnant, and a 3/4 chance of giving birth to a child with thalassemia minor or a completely normal child. It is important to receive genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis after pregnancy.

5. If a pregnant woman is found to have mild anemia during a physical examination, does she need to take iron supplements immediately?

Iron supplementation should be taken with caution. It is necessary to first determine whether it is iron deficiency anemia or thalassemia. Anemia due to thalassemia is caused by excessive destruction of red blood cells. At this time, the release of iron from red blood cells increases, and there is no iron deficiency at all. On the contrary, some patients with severe thalassemia suffer from excessive iron load, leading to siderosis and causing changes in liver and kidney function. Therefore, when thalassemia is diagnosed, iron supplementation is not advisable.

6. If one spouse has α-thalassemia and the other has β-thalassemia, is it necessary to do prenatal diagnosis?

It depends on different situations. According to investigations, there are many patients with α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia. The clinical manifestations and laboratory test findings of these patients are similar to those of patients with simple β-thalassemia. The anemia symptoms are often mild and are easily misdiagnosed as simple β-thalassemia. Therefore, when one spouse has α-thalassemia and the other has β-thalassemia, if the spouse with β-thalassemia also has α-thalassemia, there is still a 1/4 chance of giving birth to a patient with severe α-thalassemia, in which case prenatal diagnosis is required.

The above is a comprehensive introduction to the common reasons for a positive initial screening for thalassemia. After fully understanding some common causes of this disease, in order to make your baby healthier, after fully understanding the above content, it is best to go to the hospital for a comprehensive physical examination, find out the common causes through examination, and keep your body healthy as soon as possible through treatment.