Screening for Thalassemia Carrier
Status in Pregnancy and Pre-Natal
Diagnosis
The most effective and feasible approach to reduce the
incidence of thalassemia major is implementation of
carrier screening program to test the mothers antenatally as
early as 8-12 weeks of pregnancy, offering genetic
counseling, prenatal diagnosis and selective termination of
affected fetuses. This study was planned to determine the
frequency of carrier status of thalassemia in pregnant
females visiting our hospital to identify “at-risk” couples,
and to prevent birth of new cases of thalassemia major.Antenatal screening of pregnant females is the
most feasible and effective method to reduce birth of
children with thalassemia. Carrier screening for
thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies should be offered
and genetic counseling should be done to women at-risk of
these disorders.