Tackling iron overload

There are various forms of medication used to combat this, so far with mixed success.

Looking for alternatives to blood transfusion in thalassemia Major

To circumvent blood transfusion, bone marrow transplants have been used, occasionally (but not always) with success. The best chance is produced by the availability of a matching donor, especially if it is a sibling. Not all siblings will match.

Gene therapy and Thalassemia

Research is still going on into the possibility of gene replacement therapy. This, if cracked, will be the fail-safe magic solution to this and many other genetic conditions. Indications are that this is still some way off.

Pregnancy for a Thalassemia Major patient

For a young woman with Thalassemia Major, pregnancy is a formidable proposition. The general health of these girls means that they would have difficulty conceiving and the wisest counsel for most of them would be to avoid pregnancy.

This is based on the fact that their already compromised vital organs (especially the heart) may fail completely under the added strain of pregnancy. There have only been a handful of reported cases of successful pregnancies in girls with Thalassemia Major.

Does the above imply that most Thalassemia-affected prenatal patients will only be carriers?

Yes. As mentioned earlier, Thalassemia minor is a condition compatible with good general health. However, in pregnancy, there is a tendency to suffer anemia and, if the carrier status was undiagnosed until then, the anemia may trigger the definitive diagnostic tests which will confirm the diagnosis for the first time.

Treatment for anemia in Thalassemia minor

To some degree, the anemia treatment is quite similar to everybody else’s. While in Thalassemia major, the administration of iron supplements is absolutely contraindicated, in Thalassemia minor, iron may be given. This is because these individuals rarely need transfusions and therefore the risk of iron overload is minimal or non-existent. However, as a precaution, many experts advise a test to check the levels of iron reserves in the body.

Injectable Iron in Thalassemia Minor

Iron by injection cannot be used in Thalassemia minor. If the woman is completely unable to tolerate all forms of oral iron supplements, other ways of supplying her with iron - which may be dietary - have to be sought, if definitely required.

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