title: Risk of a couple having a child with severe thalassemia syndrome, prevalence in lower northern Thailand.
abstract: Thalassemia screening in pregnant women and their spouses was performed at Buddhachinaraj Provincial Hospital and 8 community hospitals in Phitsanulok; lower northern Thailand. The prevalence of thalassemic carrier state was determined of 1,198 couples. Of these, 4.8% had heterozygous alpha thalassemia-1, 1.6% had heterozygous beta thalassemia, 12.4% had heterozygous hemoglobin (Hb) E, 2.7% had homozygous Hb E and 0.25% of others had abnormal Hb. Eighteen at risk couples (1.5%) were identified. Fifteen couples were at risk for compound heterozygous Hb E / beta thalassemia and the remaining 3 were at risk for homozygous alpha thalassemia-1. Prenatal diagnosis (cordocentesis) was performed in 4 couples at risk, but no fetuses with severe thalassemic disease were detected.
authors.affiliation: Thalassemia Research Unit, Naresuan University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. peeraponw@nu.ac.th
authors.forename: Peerapon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Piriya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thanormrat
authors.forename: Suchila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srithipayawan
authors.forename: Nangnoy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jermnim
authors.forename: Sukumarn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niyomthom
authors.forename: Nungruethai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nimnuch
authors.forename: Torpong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sanguansermsri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013577:Syndrome; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics