How will HbE disease and HbE trait in us affect our baby?

Question

Hi doctor,

My wife and I are both 29 years old. I have been diagnosed with hemoglobin E disease. My hemoglobin A is 68.7 g/dL, hemoglobin F is 9 g/dL, and hemoglobin E and A2 are 26 g/dL. And my wife has been diagnosed with a hemoglobin E trait. Her hemoglobin A is 9.1 g/dL, and hemoglobin E and A2 are 77.1 g/dL. We are planning for a baby.

What is the possibility of our baby acquiring thalassemia major?
What are the other complications during or after pregnancy?

I have always had mild anemia; my hemoglobin always ranges from 9.5 to 11 g/dL.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your attached reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity) and history.

1. Hemoglobin E disease or trait is an autosomal recessive condition. You are a hemoglobin E disease patient, which means you are homozygous, and your wife has the hemoglobin E trait, so she is heterozygous.

2. In such conditions, there is a 50 percent chance of the child having hemoglobin E disease and a 50 percent chance of having the hemoglobin E trait. So, the chances are 50 percent for both disease and trait.

3. If your child is heterogeneous, then he will not have any symptoms like those of your wife. But if the child acquires hemoglobin E disease, then mild hemolytic anemia will be present with spleen enlargement. But this condition is not as severe as that of beta thalassemia disease.

4. There are no chances of the child developing beta thalassemia, which is altogether a different condition. Before conception, genetic counseling is advisable.

I hope it helps.

Thank you.