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What is thalassemia?
All forms of thalassemia are inherited. The disease can not be caught from another person who has it. Thalassemia is passed on through parents who carry abnormal thalassemia genes in their cells.
When both parents carry alpha thalassemia genes, any child they have is at risk for inheriting a more severe form of this condition. Individuals who know they have one of these disorders, those with family histories of these disorders, and those from countries where they are common should consider consulting a genetic counselor to find out whether their children could be at risk. (Health care providers can provide referrals to genetic counselors, or individuals can find them by contacting a major medical center.)
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