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Thalassemia (How is it inherited? (The disease is passed to children by…
Thalassemia
How is it inherited?
The disease is passed to children by parents who carry the mutated Thalassemia gene. A child who inherits two thalassemia trait genes - one from each parent - will have the disease
A child who inherits one mutated gene is a carrier. Most carriers lead completely normal, healthy lives
What is it?
A group of inherited diseases of the blood that affect a person's ability to produce hemoglobin, resulting in anemia.
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2 types
Alpha or Beta
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Alpha has varying degrees of anemia. The most severe form of alpha Thalassemia results in fetal or newborn death.
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Can it be cured?
Gene Therapy
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Another treatment researchers are testing is therapy that would reactivate the cells created fetal hemoglobin which could compensate for the missing hemoglobin
Can it be tested for?
During the 11th week of pregnancy, the doctors take a small part of the fluid around the fetus and test it for Thalassemia
Parents that know they are carriers may use in-vitro embryos to ensure that the embryos implanted in the mother are healthy