There are roughly 6 crore people in India who
carry the Thalassemia trait. Since the trait
doesn’t impact them directly, most of
them are unaware of this. However if two people
carrying the Thalassemia trait get married,
there is a 25% chance that their children will
have the dangerous Thalassemia Major disease.
Children affected by Thalassemia seldom live
beyond 40. Their lives are continuously dependent
on blood transfusions and medication. Permanent
cures like stem cell transplants are very
expensive and also very risky.
It is thus advised that people getting married
should take a simple blood test and ensure
that both the partners are not carrying the
Thalassemia trait.
For more information on Thalassemia prevention,
please download
the attachment
THALASSEMIA TRAIT TESTING DETAILS
Testing for the Thalassemia Trait usually
happens in two parts:
1. Indicative Test (Complete Blood Count
Test)
»This test is the
same as the simple blood test that most employees
go through this test during pre-employment
checkups. However, most employers do not actively
look for the Thalassemia Trait
»Costs roughly Rs 200
»Available at most nursing homes or
hospitals
2. Confirmatory Test (Hb HPLC or Hb Electrophoresis
for Hb A2 estimation)
»Required only if the indicator test
is positive
»Costs roughly Rs 600
»Available at select testing centers
only. Please contact your doctor to find a
testing center near you. Follow this link
to find testing centers in a few major Indian
cities