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Last Updated on December 6, 2022 by Aditi Gangal
Changes in the DNA responsible for making hemoglobin, cause thalassemia. A report by the National Health Mission informs that about 10,000 -15,000 babies with the condition are born every year.
We have discussed here the cause of disorder and other questions that people commonly ask.
What causes thalassemia?
Thalassemia is a blood disorder that affects the body’s ability to make hemoglobin. It occurs due to defects in the genes that are responsible for forming hemoglobin. People inherit this condition from their parents.
Why does thalassemia occur?
Thalassemia occurs due to a defect in genes that are required for forming hemoglobin. This results in a lack of hemoglobin and red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen throughout the body. Abnormal hemoglobin also reduces the life of red blood cells resulting in fewer healthy red blood cells in the blood.
As red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, their reduction will further diminish oxygen supply. This causes anemia which can damage organs and lead to death.
What is the genetic cause of thalassemia?
The genetic cause is abnormal changes in the DNA that is responsible for the production of hemoglobin. The genes affected are HBB, HBA1, or HBA2 genes and this disorder is passed from parents to children.
Human genes are always in pairs. Each parent has two copies of every gene and each parent passes just one to children. Thalassemia happens when both genes in a pair are abnormal. This mode of inheriting the disease is known as autosomal recessive disease.
Can you have thalassemia without a family history?
No. You cannot have thalassemia without a family history. Faulty genes pass to children from parents which causes the disorder.
Anything done before or during pregnancy does not cause thalassemia. People cannot catch it from someone else.
Can thalassemia occur with a carrier father and a normal mother?
No. Thalassemia cannot occur with a carrier father and a normal mother. Parents equally contribute to the disorder in their children. A child inherits one abnormal gene from the mother and another from the father. Thalassemia carriers themselves may not have the condition but can pass it on to children if their partners are also carriers.
THIP MEDIA has discussed symptoms happen when someone has thalassemia to show that people with the condition have fatigue and weakness.
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