Inheritance Pattern for For more information Alpha Contact your local SCDAA organization or other health Alpha agency at: When each parent is a "silent" carrier of Thalassemia alpha thalassemia (aa/a+) Trait & Your

their baby Baby

aa a+ may have aa a+

aa aa Or contact the SCDAA National Office at the address and telephone number below.

aa/aa (normal alpha gene number 4) or

Stay connected with Get Connected the first patient powered registry

aa a+ a a a+

aa/a+ (silent carrier of alpha thalassemia; alpha gene number 3) Register at www.getconnectedscd.com

a+ a+

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. a+/a+ (alpha thalssemia trait; alpha gene number 2) 3700 Koppers Street, Suite 570 Baltimore, MD 21227 Note: Alpha genes are inherited in pairs, one pair (aa) www.sicklecelldisease.org from each parent. A person with normal alpha genes has YOUR QUESTIONS four (aa/aa). Alpha thalassemia may result in a total of 3, 2, 1 or 0 alpha genes. There are two common types of alpha thalassemia: alpha-plus (a+) and alpha-zero (a0). In a+ ANSWERED ©2018 Association of America, Inc.; All rights reserved. No thalassemia, one of the two a genes is removed (deleted) portion of this material can be published without the owner’s express written a-; and in a0 thalassemia, both a genes are deleted - -. In consent. this example, we have shown alpha-plus (a+) thalassemia. I want to learn more...

WILL ALPHA THALASSEMIA TRAIT MAKE HOW DID MY BABY GET ALPHA THAL WHAT IS ALPHA THALASSEMIA? MY BABY SICK? TRAIT? The usual in our red cells is hemoglobin No. Alpha thalassemia trait, "alpha thal trait" for short, is not Babies can get or inherit alpha thal trait the same way that A. is made of two types of : and an illness. Your baby will not have to get special medical they get the color of their eyes, the shape of their noses, and alpha beta. In alpha thalassemia, not enough alpha globin is made care because of alpha thal trait. the texture of their hair. They got it through the genes that in the red blood cells. their mother and father passed onto them. Genes also tell the *As she gets a little older, the doctor may notice that her body what kind of blood to make. ALPHA THAL TRAIT - WHAT DOES IT MEAN? blood count is a little low and think that she needs iron to bring her blood count up. The iron treatment will not help - Each person has four alpha genes, two from each parent. If a Alpha thal trait is a mild form of alpha thalassemia. In alpha and could hurt. parent only has two alpha genes, she has alpha thal trait. thal trait, there is enough alpha globin for normal health. Before your baby takes iron, she should have her blood iron Your baby probably got one alpha gene from each parent, or level checked. If her iron level is low , it will be alright to give perhaps two from one parent and none from the other. Either Your baby may have a little . Her red blood cells her iron. way, she ended up with two instead of four alpha genes. might be a little small in size and look pale. None of these things will make her sick at all. Alpha thal trait is very common in people from tropical and sub-tropical parts of YOU SAY ALPHA THAL TRAIT IS NOT A the world. PROBLEM. THEN WHY WAS MY BABY TESTED? Babies are tested to see if they have hemoglobin diseases that SHOULD WE (PARENTS) TAKE A BLOOD could make them become ill. Your baby was tested to make sure TEST? he/she does not have a hemoglobin disease.

WHAT IS THALASSEMIA? Before you have your next baby, we suggest that you and your partner get special blood tests. We all have two sets of is a disease of red blood cells. People with Thalassemia genes for hemoglobin. One set is passed on to the baby thalassemia do not make enough hemoglobin. This results from each parent. in red blood cells that are smaller in size, paler than normal,

anemia, or low in blood count. Only if both you and your partner are tested can you know WHAT EXACTLY IS HEMOGLOBIN? exactly what kind of hemoglobin condition your next child There are mild, moderate, and severe forms of thalassemia. Hemoglobin is inside the red blood cells. It helps them carry could have. Even though this baby only has alpha thal trait, Alpha thal trait, which your baby has, is a form of mild from the air in our lungs to all parts of the body. it is possible your next baby could have alpha thal disease. thalassemia. Hemoglobin also gives blood its deep red color. Look carefully at the inheritance pattern for the possibilities of having a baby with alpha thalassemia. CAN ALPHA THAL TRAIT EVER TURN INTO SEVERE THALASSEMIA? A counselor can tell you if any of your future children could Hemoglobin is made up of two parts: have severe alpha thalassemia. Never. Your baby's hemoglobin types are hers for life. They do not change. called globin and iron chemicals called WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR MY BABY? *Alpha Thalassemia trait is found equally in both boys and girls. To make Your baby need special medical care. Give her the Heme + globin = Hemoglobin does not this easy to read, we have used she and her in this pamphlet. In other best care possible, not because she has alpha thal trait, but pamphlets we have used he, his, and him. because she is your baby. She needs love and good medical care to grow up happy and healthy.