What is thalassemia? Thalassemia (say "thal-uh-SEE-mee-uh") is
an inherited blood disorder that causes your body to make less
hemoglobin or abnormal hemoglobin.. Hemoglobin helps red blood
cells spread oxygen through your body. Low levels of hemoglobin
may cause anemia, an illness that makes you feel weak and tired.
Severe anemia can damage organs and lead to death. What are the
types of thalassemia? There are two main types: alpha and beta.
Beta thalassemia is the most common. You need both alpha- and
beta-globin to make hemoglobin. Beta thalassemia occurs when one
or both of the two genes that make beta-globin don't work or
only partly work as they should. This type occurs when one or
more of the four alpha-globin genes that make hemoglobin are
missing or damaged. What causes thalassemia? A defect in one or
more genes causes thalassemia. If you, either parent, or any of
your siblings have thalassemia or carry a gene for thalassemia
and you're thinking about having a child, you may want to talk
to a genetic