By now, you are probably aware of the connection between genetics and genealogy. Some of the health-related traits that tend to run in families are pretty serious stuff and genetic testing is frequently offered to expectant parents. The tests are strongly recommended for certain expectant parents whose ancestry places them at a high risk for passing serious genetic conditions on to their children.
One such condition is the beta-thalassemia genetic trait. Thalassemia is also known as Cooley’s Anemia or Mediterranean Anemia, and it affects Greeks, Italians, Asians, and Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. People that carry the beta-thalassemia genetic trait are not affected by it. If both parents of a child are carriers of the trait, there is a one in four chance that the child will be affected by thalassemia disease.
Thalassemia disease is a serious blood condition that would usually claim the lives of those affected by it before early adulthood. People that suffer from this condition have a life-threatening form of anemia. They require regular blood transfusions and ongoing medical care. As a side effect of all of the blood transfusions, thalassemia patients may end up with too much iron in their bodies and may require chelation therapy to correct the iron overload so that they do not die of organ failure.
If you are expecting a baby, your prenatal care provider will probably ask you whether you have ancestors that were Greek, Italian, Asian, Sephardic Jewish or Ashkenazi Jewish. They are not being overly nosy; they just want to make sure that they offer genetic testing for beta-thalassemia to individuals that could potentially be carriers. The ultimate choice of whether or not to be tested for beta-thalassemia and other genetic traits is yours to make. By knowing where your ancestors came from, you are in a position to make an informed decision.