Will I pass on Hb E to my children?
Dr IC Verma
Sr. Consultant and Head, Department of Medical Genetics,
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital,
New Delhi
Sr. Consultant and Head, Department of Medical Genetics,
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital,
New Delhi
Q: Is Hb E an autosomally inherited or x-linked haemoglobinopathy? If I am an HbE carrier and my husband is normal, not even a carrier, then what are the chances of my children getting the disease?
A:Hb E is an autosomal disorder, the gene is one chromosome 12, and not on the X chromosome.If you are Hb E and your husband is normal then there is no risk that your children will have any disease. At the most they can be carriers of Hb E, like yourself.But make sure that your husband does not have carrier state of beta thalassaemia.