Thalassaemia is one of the most common
genetic blood disorders affecting women’s
ability to conceive and progress through
a normal pregnancy and birth (Hanprasertpong
et al, 2013). Currently, there are approximately
269 million carriers of thalassaemia worldwide;
the condition affects approximately 4.4 of every
10 000 live births throughout the world, and
a predicted 900 000 births will have clinically
significant thalassaemia disorders expected to
occur by 2025 (Vichinsky, 2005). Initially thought
to be a disease originating from Mediterranean
regions, migration of populations throughout
Asia and Africa has seen the prevalence of
thalassaemia spread to countries previously
considered low in rates of diagnosed cases (Piel
et al, 2013).