The frequency of beta thalassemia carrier varies between 1 to 17 percent in different region in India with mean prevalence of 3.3 percent. (15, 16) In multicentric ICMR study, the carrier frequency was reported to be 5.5 percent in Delhi, 4 percent in Mumbai, and 7 to 8% percent in Kolkata. This calculates to about 29.7million carriers of beta thalassemia in India. Using these carrier frequencies, it can be estimated that almost one out of every 2,700 births has thalassemia major, while almost 9,000 newborn with thalassemia major are born every year. (16) Migration changing marriages pattern among ethnic group, and differences in the relative growth of population can be expected to change the distribution and prevalence of thalassemia.