Author(s): Abdulrahaman A Momin, Mangesh P Bankar, Gouri M Bhoite
The early identification of some clinically significant hemoglobinopathies and precise differentiation of hemoglobin variants are important to provide early comprehensive medical care to prevent some serious complications, assess prognosis and offer genetic counseling. A prospective study of 500 infants from South Western Maharashtra showed that 0.4% (4 in 1000) of them had detectable levels of Hb Bart’s (γ4) in the neonatal period by using hemoglobin electrophoresis. The levels of Hb Bart’s indicate that the newborns are heterozygous for α thalassemia (-α/αα).