Frequency of haemoglobinopathies at premarital health screening in Dohuk, Iraq: implications for a regional prevention programme.
beta-thalassaemia major and sickle-cell disease are important health problems in Iraq. To provide information for a prevention programme, the frequency of haemoglobin disorders was mapped in Dohuk governorate. A total of 591 couples (1182 individuals) attending health centres for premarital health screening were tested; 44 (3.7%) were found to be carriers of ,-thalassaemia, 14 (1.2%) of the sickle-cell gene and 1 (0.1%) of deltabeta3-thalassaemia. A total of 3 couples (i.e. 5/1000) were at risk of having a child with beta-thalassaemia major, and the estimated number of affected children with a major haemoglobinopathy was 39 per year. The findings stress the importance of a regional prevention programme for haemoglobinopathies based on premarital screening, counselling and prenatal diagnosis.
Al-Allawi
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NA
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Dohuk, Dohuk City, Iraq. nallawi@yahoo.com
Al-Dousky
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AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003241:Consanguinity; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011291:Premarital Examinations / Q000379:methods; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012307:Risk Factors