Why does thalassemia cause anemia

If you're a thalassaemia carrier, you will not develop thalassaemia. Being a carrier will not generally cause you any health problems.

But you may get mild anaemia because your red blood cells are smaller than usual and your haemoglobin level may be slightly lower than normal. If you're a thalassaemia carrier, you're at risk of having a child with thalassaemia if your partner is also a carrier.

You can request a blood test to check if you're a carrier of thalassaemia from your GP surgery or nearest sickle cell and thalassaemia centre. This helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat thalassaemia. You can opt out of the register at any time. Find out more about the register.

Finding out as much as possible about thalassaemia may help you feel more in control of your condition. Its website contains a wide range of useful information, including news about research into the disorder. Page last reviewed: 27 March Next review due: 27 March This can make them very anaemic tired, short of breath and pale.

Symptoms of thalassaemia Most people born with thalassaemia experience health problems from a few months after birth. Less severe cases may not be noticeable until later in childhood or even until adulthood. The main health problems associated with thalassaemia are: anaemia — severe tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath , pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeats palpitations and pale skin caused by the lack of haemoglobin too much iron in the body — this is caused by the regular blood transfusions used to treat anaemia and can cause problems with the heart, liver and hormone levels if untreated Some people may also have delayed growth, weak and fragile bones osteoporosis , and reduced fertility.

Causes of thalassaemia Thalassaemia is caused by faulty genes that affect the production of haemoglobin. Beta thalassemia is a genetic disease inherited from one or both parents. The only risk factor is having a family history of the disease. Beta thalassemia major: This is the most severe type of this disorder.

Children born with this type will have symptoms early in life that include:. Without treatment, the spleen, liver, and heart become enlarged. Bones can also become thin, brittle, and deformed. People with this condition will need frequent blood transfusions and may not live a normal lifespan.

Iron builds up in the heart and other organs from blood transfusions. This can cause heart failure as early as the teens or early 20s. Thalassemia intermedia: This type can cause symptoms of moderate to severe anemia including:. Beta thalassemia is most often found in people who are from Greek, Italian, African, or Asian origin. The diagnosis is most often made between 6 and 12 years old. These tests may be able to tell if you are a carrier, and can pass the disorder on to your children:.

Complete blood count CBC : This test checks the size, number, and maturity of different blood cells in a set volume of blood. Hemoglobin electrophoresis with hemoglobin F and A2 quantitation: A lab test that differentiates the types of hemoglobin. All of these studies can be done from a single blood sample. In a pregnant woman, the baby is diagnosed using CVS chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis.

Thalassemia minima is mild and causes no problems. But you will be a carrier of the disorder. Thalassemia intermedia can cause problems based on the severity of the anemia.

These problems include delayed growth, weak bones, and enlarged spleen. Beta thalassemia major causes major problems and can result in early death. Complications may include delayed growth, bone problems causing facial changes, liver and gall bladder problems, enlarged spleen, enlarged kidneys, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and heart problems.

If you have beta thalassemia major or intermedia, living with the disorder may be challenging. Work with your healthcare provider to make a treatment plan that includes blood transfusions. Your plan may also include treatment to remove extra iron from your body iron chelation therapy. You will also have regular blood tests and physical exams. In the same way that traits for hair color and body structure are passed down from parents to children, thalassemia traits are passed from parents to children.

The type of thalassemia that a person has depends on how many and what type of traits for thalassemia a person has inherited, or received from their parents. For instance, if a person receives a beta thalassemia trait from his father and another from his mother, he will have beta thalassemia major. If a person received an alpha thalassemia trait from her mother and the normal alpha parts from her father, she would have alpha thalassemia trait also called alpha thalassemia minor.

Having a thalassemia trait means that you may not have any symptoms, but you might pass that trait on to your children and increase their risk for having thalassemia. People with moderate and severe forms of thalassemia usually find out about their condition in childhood, since they have symptoms of severe anemia early in life.

People with less severe forms of thalassemia may only find out because they are having symptoms of anemia, or maybe because a doctor finds anemia on a routine blood test or a test done for another reason. Because thalassemias are inherited, the condition sometimes runs in families.

Some people find out about their thalassemia because they have relatives with a similar condition. People who have family members from certain parts of the world have a higher risk for having thalassemia.

Traits for thalassemia are more common in people from Mediterranean countries, like Greece and Turkey, and in people from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

If you have anemia and you also have family members from these areas, your doctor might test your blood further to find out if you have thalassemia.