Possible Alpha Thalassaemia

Information for people:

• whose parents or earlier ancestors originate from South East Asia or the Mediterranean area
• Are North Europeans
• Do not know where their ancestors came from

A blood test has shown that you have smaller red blood cells than is usual. People can have small red blood cells because they are short of iron, or because they carry beta thalassaemia, or alpha thalassaemia. Your blood test shows that you are not short of iron, and that you do not carry typical beta thalassaemia. Therefore you almost certainly carry alpha thalassaemia.