A thalassaemia carrier is not ill. They have no symptoms, they are not anaemic in any way they would notice, and nothing in their life suggests anything is wrong. That is exactly why the trait spreads so quietly in Bangladesh, where roughly one person in ten carries it.
What the risk actually is
If only one partner is a carrier, the children may inherit the trait — and will be as healthy as their parent. If both partners are carriers, then with every pregnancy there is a one-in-four chance of a child with thalassaemia major: a child who will need blood transfusions every few weeks for life.
That is the whole reason for screening. One blood test, once, for two people.
The test
Haemoglobin electrophoresis, along with a complete blood count and serum ferritin. No fasting is needed. Tell us if you have had a blood transfusion in the previous three months, because that can affect the reading.
When to do it
- Before marriage — when the result can still inform the decision
- Before planning a pregnancy, if it was not done earlier
- Early in pregnancy, if neither partner has been screened — testing the mother first, and the father if she is a carrier
- Any time there is thalassaemia anywhere in either family
If both of you are carriers
It is not a verdict. It means the pregnancy needs specialist counselling and prenatal testing, and those options exist. What removes them is finding out too late.
Our Pre-Marital Screening package covers haemoglobin electrophoresis, blood grouping, blood count and hepatitis screening for both partners in one visit. Please come together — a result for one person answers only half the question.
