Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder in which the body produces abnormal or insufficient hemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This leads to anemia, fatigue, and a range of other health complications that require long-term management.
🔍 Common Symptoms
- Fatigue and weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin (jaundice)
- Facial bone deformities
- Slow growth in children
- Abdominal swelling from an enlarged spleen or liver
- Dark urine
🧬 Causes & Risk Factors
- Inherited mutations in hemoglobin genes
- Both parents carrying the trait leads to severe disease
- Alpha thalassemia — affects alpha globin chains
- Beta thalassemia — affects beta globin chains (more severe)
- More common in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South/Southeast Asian populations
✅ What To Do Next
- Seek genetic counseling, especially before having children
- Regular blood transfusions for severe (major) thalassemia
- Iron chelation therapy to remove excess iron
- Monitor organ function (heart, liver, spleen) regularly
- Consider bone marrow transplant in eligible patients
- Nutritional support and folic acid supplementation