alpha + beta Thal carrier plans to have baby with alpha Thal carrier

Hello there,

I want to ask a question about Thal.
Let's say if I am a alpha+beta Thal carrier, and I plan to have a child with an alpha carrier, what is the chance of my child will have Thal major?

Thanks very much for your help~

By alpha carrier do you mean each parent would have two alpha genes?

If only one parent is a beta carrier then the child cannot be a beta thal major. However, if both carry two alpha thal genes, there is a possibility that the child could inherit 4 alpha genes which would result in death of the fetus during pregnancy or at birth. Three alpha genes would result in an intermedia type condition. The addition of one beta gene to two alpha genes sometimes also results in an intermedia type condition.

Parents carrying these sets of genes would be advised to talk their doctor about the possibility of using in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive.

hi..i would like to know more about this also..
but my qs is ..Is there a possibility that my child will have thal majar is i'm a beta minor and my spouse is a alpha minor ??

my qs is ..Is there a possibility that my child will have thal majar is i'm a beta minor and my spouse is a alpha minor ??

If you are a Beta Thal Minor (with defective beta globin gene) AND NO defect in the alpha globin gene and your spouse is an Alpha Thal Minor (with defective alpha gene) AND NO defect in Beta globin gene, there is no possibility of child with Thalassemia Major. Reference the attached picture for complete understanding.

But, I would recommend you to get a complete genetic test done prior to planning for a child to get a complete picture. The reason is, sometimes thalassemia carriers are undetected with normal blood test and later on find they are carriers of thalassemia (which was NOT detected by normal blood test). As in your case both are carriers on different globins (beta and alpa), genetic counseling is the best way to clear up any undiagnosed condition.

I hope this gives you a clearer picture.

So does the complete genetic test is by having a DNA test...I heard that it would be quite expensive..
My mum took my and my boyfriend report to a Maternity Hospital to seek for advise...the doctor say that we can hv baby..but hv chance that the baby is defect wit thal ...is that real

Hi Myndy,

As Narendra has so well explained, there is no chance of having a thalassemic child, as long as one is beta minor and the other alpha minor. Two different genes are affected so there is no possibility of the two traits combining. However, as Narendra has also explained, you could have a thal child if one of you is a silent carrier for one of the traits. In addition to the expensive genetic testing, family histories are also taken into account. Relatives should be consulted on both sides to make sure there is no history of carrying the other trait in your families. This is especially important regarding alpha carrier status, as alpha is harder to detect with testing, so family history is extremely important when diagnosing alpha carrier status. You should talk to our family and see if there is any knowledge of alpha thalassemia trait in your family. If not, there is little likelihood that you would have any concerns.

Thanks Andy Narendra ...
I and my boyfriend will go to hospital for further check-up

sorry...Can i ask 1 more qs...

as your all said that a alpha carrier + beta carrier hv no chance to hv a major child
then is that mean there are a possibility having a intermediate thal child ??

No. The alpha and beta globin genes that are defective or missing, actually provide some balance in hemoglobin production, potentially making the minor condition even milder. There is less of each globin produced, creating more of a balance between the two globins, which combine to make hemoglobin.

Please do check with both families to make sure there is no further history of thalassemia in either family.

thx...after hear from you i feel good...for this qs i cant sleep well for few weeks...

cos my family keep on saying the possibility of having  a thal child said by other doctor...

thank andy

hi
me and my gf are thal trait oso. After taken the hb electrophoresis test, the doctor stated that i am suggestive of alpha-thal trait while my gf is suggestive of beta-thal trait. i wonder our children will become thal major or not? what is the worst case of our babies if we are to born one?

Hi Shinji,

Welcome to the group. First, since you have been diagnosed as suggestive of trait you need to follow through and get tested to verify that you both only carry the respective traits. If you are an alpha carrier and your gf is a beta carrier, this cannot cause thal major, and can present no serious health issues in children because two completely different genes are affected. However, because alpha is difficult to diagnose, you will need to rule this out in your gf, so a certain diagnosis is essential.

Thanks Andy.
What is the name of the test? DNA testing? Our doctor told us that DNA testing is not available here at Malaysia and it would be costly.
My report shows that I'm suggestive of Alpha thalassemia meaning that I'm for sure not beta thalassemia trait right? So our baby are not going to be thal major right?
The test we have undergone is hb electrophoresis. Is there any more advanced test to test out silent alpha thala trait?

Thanks a lot Andy. This forum is fantastic and helpful.

Hi Shinji,.

I'm from Malaysia.  In fact the DNA testing is available free - so far for me...  in the government hospitals.  I only pay the RM5 per doctor's visit on every appointment.  The only problem, is how to get your doctor to refer you to the hematology clinic for these testing purposes.  My gp referred me to the hematology clinic because he cannot find out what's wrong with my anaemia.  That's how I get to know I have alpha thal.

I think you can try to check some government websites on these testings.  I read somewhere that they do conduct some testings in the selected government polyclinic.  However, for polyclinics normally they run hb electropheresis test, which might not suggest anything, if you have alpha trait.  So the best is still to be referred to the hospitals, in the specialist clinic, where they will take blood samples and sent to Hospital Ampang or IMR(Inst of Medical Research) for testings.  It would take months for the results to come out(and pray its not lost somewhere), so you have to be patient. 

I had 3 DNA tests done so far in the hematology clinic I'm referred to, in the period of 7 years because I have a rare mutation which are not easily detected in the early years(there are many methods of testing).  My children are also tested for genetic counselling.  The best is for you to be tested first.  The hematologist will be able to answer your genetic queries.

Thanks for all the information Gracia. It's far more than I would have been able to answer.

I just want to reinforce the point. When one is suspected of being an alpha thal carrier, the other partner needs it ruled out before having children. Please do not take chances. Get tested and make sure that both are not carriers, so that there is no possibility of having a child with a serious blood disorder.