Myth vs Facts: Clearing Common Misconceptions About Thalassemia

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that leads to the production of abnormal or insufficient hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries oxygen. This condition can destroy a large number of RBCs, causing anemia.

Despite advances in diagnostic tools and treatment options, several misconceptions about thalassemia continue to persist. Dr. K. Karuna Kumar, consultant hematologist, hemato-oncologist, and bone marrow transplant physician at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, helps debunk some of the most common myths.

Myth 1: Thalassemia cannot be prevented

Fact: Thalassemia can be prevented through timely screening — either before marriage or early in pregnancy. Identifying carriers allows couples to make informed reproductive decisions, reducing the risk of having a child with the disorder.

Myth 2: Thalassemia carriers should not marry each other

Fact: Carriers can marry but should undergo genetic testing to understand their specific mutations. If both partners are carriers, antenatal testing between 8–10 weeks of pregnancy is crucial to assess the risk of thalassemia major in the fetus.

Myth 3: Carrier parents will always have children with thalassemia

Fact: If both parents are carriers, each pregnancy carries a 25% chance of thalassemia major, a 50% chance of thalassemia minor (carrier), and a 25% chance the child will be unaffected. If only one parent is a carrier, the child cannot inherit thalassemia major. Advanced reproductive options, like pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT-M) and prenatal tests such as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, can help ensure healthy births.

Myth 4: Thalassemia cannot be detected

Fact: Thalassemia carriers can be identified through hemoglobin electrophoresis or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), especially in cases of microcytic anemia without iron deficiency. DNA testing can confirm specific mutations. Prenatal genetic testing of fetal cells can determine if the fetus is affected.

Myth 5: There is no treatment for thalassemia major

Fact: While lifelong management is necessary, effective treatments are available. Regular filtered blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, and organ monitoring can help maintain a good quality of life. In some cases, curative options like bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy are also possible.

Myth 6: All types of anemia, including thalassemia, can be treated with iron supplements

Fact: Iron supplements help only in cases of iron-deficiency anemia and are not suitable for thalassemia. In fact, unnecessary iron supplementation can lead to harmful iron overload. Proper diagnosis is critical before starting any treatment.

Myth 7: Thalassemia is contagious

Fact: Thalassemia is a hereditary condition, passed from parents to children through genes. It is not contagious and cannot be transmitted through physical contact, sharing food, or exposure to body fluids.