Alpha Thalassemia (cont.)
Alpha Thalassemias
Four genes (two from each parent) are needed to make enough alpha globin
protein chains. If one or more of the genes is missing, you will have alpha
thalassemia trait or disease. This means that you don't make enough alpha globin
protein.
- If you have only one missing
gene, you're a silent carrier and won't have any
signs of illness.
- If you have two missing genes, you have alpha
thalassemia trait (also called alpha thalassemia minor). You may have mild anemia.
- If you have three missing genes, you likely will have hemoglobin H disease
(which a blood test can detect). This form of thalassemia causes moderate to
severe anemia.
Very rarely, a baby will have all four genes missing.
This condition is called alpha thalassemia major or hydrops fetalis. Babies with hydrops fetalis
usually die before or shortly after birth.
Inheritance Pattern for Alpha Thalassemia

The diagram shows one example of how alpha thalassemia is inherited. The
alpha globin genes are located on chromosome 16. A child
inherits four alpha globin genes - two from each parent. In this example, the
father is missing two
alpha globin genes and the mother is missing one alpha globin gene.
Therefore, each child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting two missing genes
and two normal genes (thalassemia trait), three missing genes and one normal
gene (hemoglobin H disease), four normal genes (no anemia), or one missing gene
and three normal genes (silent carrier).
Next: Beta thalassemias »
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