Frequency of alpha-thalassemia-1 of the Southeast Asian-type among pregnant women in northern Thailand determined by PCR technique.
Five hundred pregnant women were analyzed for the presence of alpha-thalassemia-1 of the Southeast Asian (SEA)-type by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique at the Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai University Hospital in Chiang Mai during the period from April to June 1995. Forty-four of them (8.8%) were recognized as carriers, corresponding to a frequency of 0.044. Homozygous alpha-thalassemia-1 of the SEA-type, the fatal condition of hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis, has an expected frequency of 0.00194, or about 2 hydrops fetalis cases per 1,000 births in this population.
Kitsirisakul
B
B
Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Steger
H F
HF
Sanguansermsri
T
T
D002353:Carrier State / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods*; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013785:Thailand; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*