Thalassemia is a genetic disease currently found in all regions of Thailand, unlike in the past when it was mostly found in the Northeast and Upper Central regions. Due to easier travel and migration, the distribution of thalassemia genes has become more widespread.
What causes thalassemia?
This disease is caused by the inheritance of recessive genes from both parents. If both parents are carriers, the child has a chance of having thalassemia. Although all parents want their children to be healthy, misunderstandings about this disease are still common.
Common misconceptions about thalassemia that should be known
- No symptoms of fatigue means no anemia → Anemia symptoms may not be clearly expressed, but one can still be a carrier of thalassemia.
- If parents do not have anemia, the child is unlikely to be a carrier → Even if parents show no symptoms, they may still be carriers of the thalassemia gene.
- Normal prenatal checkup results mean no thalassemia carrier → General health checks cannot confirm that the child is not a carrier; genetic testing is required.
- Able to donate blood once but unable to donate next time is thought to be due to iron deficiency → Actually, it may be due to carrier status of thalassemia affecting blood quality.
- Normal complete blood count means not a carrier → General tests may not identify thalassemia carriers; specific additional tests are needed.
Currently, individuals with thalassemia tend to show less clear characteristics and symptoms due to screening for thalassemia carriers before conception or during every prenatal visit, which reduces the chance of giving birth to children with thalassemia. However, this does not mean there is no chance of giving birth to a child who is a thalassemia carrier. The purpose of screening is to increase the chance of survival after birth and reduce the incidence of thalassemia as the main goal, so the incidence of giving birth to children who are thalassemia carriers can still be found. Therefore, consultation with a hematologist or a blood disease specialist is recommended to understand the likelihood of the child having thalassemia. It does not mean that a healthy child cannot be a thalassemia carrier.
Even if both parents are healthy, have had normal complete blood counts, and have never had anemia symptoms or taken blood supplements, sometimes mild anemia is found but was never known because there were no symptoms to suspect thalassemia carrier status. Family members may not know there is a history of thalassemia carriers in the family. Eventually, when they find out their child is a thalassemia carrier, doubts arise. Thalassemia carriers are commonly found in Thai society without our own awareness.
