Prevention and control of thalassemia in Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand.
Date
2000-09-06
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Abstract
Eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-six pregnant women were screened for thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies by mean corpuscular volume less than 80 femtolitres (fl). Three thousand six hundred and seventy women (42%) were MCV less than 80 fl. In this group there were 2,390 women (70%) who had positive Hb typing by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) such as beta-thalassemia major, beta-thalassemia hemoglobin E disease, beta-thalassemia trait, heterozygous and homozygous hemoglobin E, alpha-thalassemia-1 trait and hemoglobin H disease and 77% of their partners came and had hemoglobin typing done. Seventy-five couples at risk for having severely affected thalassemia fetuses were detected from this screening program. Prenatal diagnosis was performed in 58 couples (77.3%). Eight affected fetuses were detected. All pregnancies with affected fetuses except one with beta-thalassemia/HbE were terminated. There were 3 fetal losses (6%) as the result of prenatal diagnosis procedure.
Description
The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health.
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Citation
Jaovisidha A, Ajjimarkorn S, Panburana P, Somboonsub O, Herabutya Y, Rungsiprakarn R. Prevention and control of thalassemia in Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand. The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. 2000 Sep; 31(3): 561-5