Because many “diseases” can hide in the body without us knowing, and some diseases never even show warning signs that we have them, we all might be “carriers” of genetic diseases. Often, we only find out when “the child is already sick.” This is why new parents planning to have children should undergo genetic disease screening by a specialist doctor.
Which genetic diseases should new parents know about?
- Thalassemia
The most popular genetic disease, always ranked number 1, confirmed by data from the Ministry of Public Health showing that over 22 million Thais carry the thalassemia gene without knowing it. Simply put, 1 in 3 people is a thalassemia carrier. The question is, how likely is it that our child will have thalassemia? It depends on whether the father or mother is a carrier. If one parent is a carrier, the child has a 50% chance of being a carrier, which does not affect health but can pass the abnormal gene to future generations. However, if both parents are carriers, there is a chance! The child has a 25% chance of being healthy, a 50% chance of being a carrier like the parents, and a 25% chance of having thalassemia.
- G6PD deficiency or G6PD disease
G6PD enzyme is an enzyme in red blood cells that fights free radicals, helping red blood cells stay strong and function normally. This disease usually shows no symptoms until triggered by factors such as fava beans, certain foods, and medications. Symptoms resemble anemia, including fever, chills, paleness, yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, and rapid heartbeat, caused by red blood cells being destroyed by free radicals. This disease is mainly inherited from the mother due to abnormalities in the X chromosome, passed through a recessive gene on the X chromosome, so it is more common in males. If the mother is a carrier, her sons have a 50% chance of having G6PD, and daughters have a 50% chance of being carriers.
- Hemophilia or abnormal bleeding disorder
Caused by a deficiency of clotting factor proteins that help blood clot, resulting in slow blood clotting. This is another disease inherited through a recessive gene on the X chromosome, so it is more common in males. Currently, there is no cure, but it can be managed and prevented from causing severe bleeding complications.
- Allergies
A common disease we are familiar with, which can also be inherited genetically. If either parent has allergies, the child has a 30-50% chance of having allergies. If both parents have allergies, the child has a 50-70% chance. Importantly, allergies cannot be completely cured but can be controlled to minimize symptoms.
Health screening before having children, planning ahead leads to success
Preconception screening is not only the mother’s responsibility because genetic diseases can be passed on from both father and mother. Additionally, preconception health screening helps to quickly screen for other risks such as hepatitis B and C viruses and also sexually transmitted infections like syphilis and HIV at the same time. Because the “child” is the apple of the eye, another little life that parents lovingly and carefully create. Planning and screening can help reduce the risk of unknowingly passing “diseases” to the “child.”
If genetic diseases are detected, can we still have children?
Yes… because detecting genetic diseases before pregnancy helps parents plan prenatal care with a specialist doctor, ensuring a safe pregnancy, reducing the risk of complications during pregnancy, and allowing planning for the care of the child from day one.