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The thalassemias are a group of inherited blood disorders in which the genes that produce hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, are broken. As a result, the red blood cells do not contain enough hemoglobin, causing anemia that can range from mild to life threatening.
A protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen through the blood to different tissues throughout the body.
Anemia is a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. It is often more a symptom of a disease than a disease itself, as is the case with Beta Thalassemia.
Occurs when a child inherits the gene defect from both parents.
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Occurs when a child inherits the gene defect from only one parent.
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