Thalassemia Patients and Friends

Discussion Forums => Living with Thalassemia => Topic started by: sighvang on April 22, 2010, 03:45:15 AM

Title: Any Suggestions for my situation...married couple looking to have children soon.
Post by: sighvang on April 22, 2010, 03:45:15 AM

I love my husband so very much, We are married and looking to have children. He has had Thal Intermedia all his life, and I do not have any traits on my side of my family. For those of you who have been through the "having children" stage...I'm wondering if someone could give me some advise about the proper steps or the first steps that my husband and I should take to ensure that our children will be healthy when they are born...i'm not sure what steps I should take. Should we go see a specialized doctor? Should we go get tested to see if our child will have thal intermedia? ete ete.

any advise would be appreciated. Thank you and god bless all! =)

Title: Re: Any Suggestions for my situation...married couple looking to have children soon.
Post by: Andy Battaglia on April 22, 2010, 03:52:39 AM

If you have not already been tested, you need to be tested to see if you are a thalassemia carrier. This is the most important thing. If you are not a carrier, your children cannot be thal major or intermedia, but would be minors, as they would inherit one thalassemia gene from their father. So, find out what your status is for sure. A hemoglobin electrophoresis test, along with a Complete Blood Count, should be able to determine if you are a thal carrier. If you are, then it does create the possibility of your children being thal major.