Regarding what has been said in the section “Silent carriers and heritage”, it is clear how prevention plays a fundamental role in the attempt to stop thalassemia from continuing spreading.
Prevention of thalassemia is one of the main objectives to be fulfilled. In the past the number of births of babies affected was considerably high. In the past few years, this number has considerably decreased. This is important not only because a life with chronicle disease is avoided to a lot of people, but above of all because an excessive annual increase of patients would worse the already lacking assistance, thus crating a number of problems such a psychological, social and economical. A simple action can avoid the birth of an affected son, and the necessity for him to receive treatments and blood transfusion throughout his whole life.
Prevention is a critical element of uneasy solution. In fact, knowledge of being a silent carrier is not always enough. Therefore, a continuous educational service, apt to create an acknowledged and responsible population, is of great importance.
Thalassemia does not come by chance. Your prevention role is fundamental and a simple sample of blood is sufficient to know if you and your partner are both carriers of the disease.
How can you know if you are a silent carrier?
A simple sample of blood is sufficient. The specific exams that enable to determine conditions of silent carriers are:
_- emocronometric exam-haemoglobin electrophoresis with measurements of A2 haemoglobin – sideremia.
If you are a silent carrier, make sure that you partner takes part in such exams. This is the only way to avoid the birth of an affected son.
Silent carriers couples
If after the specific exams, it is discovered that both within a couple are silent carriers, the are different choices:
Renounce to have a son – decide to try regardless, knowing of the possibility to have an affected son – decide to try regardless making sure of the baby’s conditions through pre-birth diagnosis, thus being able to stop pregnancy in case of discovered disease. Do not feel yourself alone, we are inviting you to contact the organisations and hospital mentioned in the contacts section.
Do read also the brief leaflet for silent carriers couple.
Do you still have doubts or you wish to receive other information?
Disinformation and the lack of knowledge about the disease that characterised the last decades, are the main causes for such a wide spreading of thalassemia. In order to avoid this kind of situation, please do not hesitate to contact us or the organisations mentioned in the contacts section.
