Disorders & Diseases
Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder. It happens when a child receives faulty haemoglobin genes from one or both parents. Step-by-step: Haemoglobin is the protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen. Haemoglobin is made of protein chains called alpha chains and beta chains . The instructions for making these chains are stored in genes. If there is a mutation (change) in these genes, the body cannot make enough normal haemoglobin. As a result, red blood cells become weak, small, and are destroyed more quickly than normal. This leads to anaemia (low number of healthy red blood cells). How is it inherited? If both parents are carriers of thalassaemia trait: 25% chance the child will have normal genes. 50% chance the child will be a carrier (thalassaemia minor). 25% chance the child will have thalassaemia major (severe disease).