These disorders are inherited through your genes, and, if you are affected by one of them, this will be from birth. You are more likely to suffer from one of these disorders if your family, even several generations ago, originally came from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, or the Mediterranean.
How the disorder is passed on from generation to generation is quite complicated. Some people are not actually affected by the disorder itself but they can be a carrier of the affected gene. However, where both parents are carriers of the disorder, this will mean it is highly likely that their children will be affected by it.
The most common types are sickle cell disease and the thalassaemias. Sickle cell disease mainly affects people who are of African or West Indian origin and thalassaemia is most commonly found in people from the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle and Far East.
Antenatal screening
The United Kingdom has an antenatal screening programme that aims to test women and their babies, especially those who know they are, or may be in a high risk group for these conditions. If this information can be obtained very early in the pregnancy, this can offer couples a choice about any further tests that might be helpful to obtain more information on whether or not to continue with the pregnancy. The screening test involves examining the blood sample taken for the full blood count (FBC) at the first contact with the midwife (the booking visit).
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Additional resources for information and support
More information on the National Screening programme can be
obtained via the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Programme
website at:
www.screening.nhs.uk/sicklecellandthalassaemia/index.htm
www.screening.nhs.uk/bloodspot/index.htm
Sickle Cell Society
54 Station Road, London NW10 4UA
Tel: 020 8961 7795
Email: info@sicklecellsociety.org
UK Thalassaemia Society
19 The Broadway, Southgate Circus, London N14 6PH
Tel: 020 8882 0011
Email: office@ukts.org
APOGI (Accessible Publishing of Genetic Information)
Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences
University College London, Holborn Union Building, Archway
Campus, Highgate Hill, London N19 3UA
PEGASUS
NHS Antenatal & Newborn Screening Programmes
Contains a list of the conditions that pregnant women and/or
their newborn babies can be screened for in England.
Contributors include:
Mr. Peter Young, MB; ChB; MRCOG;
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Prof. Moira Plant, RN; RMN; PhD;
Professor of Alcohol Studies
Anne Viccars, MA; BSc (Hons); PGDipEd; RM; RN;
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery
Dr. AP Madden, MA; BM; BCh; FRCA;
Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr. Julie Dallison, MSc; DPhil
Dr. Jenny Ingram, PhD; BSc (Hons)
Dr. Mary Stewart, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; BSc (Hons);
MSc; PGDipHE
Prof. Christine MacArthur, PhD;
Professor of Maternal and Child Epidemiology
Dr. Sally Marchant, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; DipEd
Prof. JG Thornton, MD; FRCOG;
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Rona McCandlish, RM; RMN; RN; MSc (Epid);
Sarah Beake, MSc; RM; RN; Research Midwife
Prof. Alison Macfarlane, BA; Dip Stat; C Stat; FFPH;
Professor of Perinatal Health
April Bolding, DPT; Childbirth Educator; Doula, USA
Dr. Helen Churchill, PhD; BA (Hons); Senior Lecturer
Dr. Louise Howard, PhD; MSc; MRCP; MRC Psych;
Senior Lecturer in Women's Mental Health
Sharon Hodgkiss, RN; RM; DipHE; BSc (Hons); MPH;
West Midlands Regional NSC Antenatal & Child Health
Screening Coordinator
Vicky Carne, MSc; BA (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Head of Midwifery, MIDIRS
Glenda Augustine, MPH; BSc (Hons); RM; DipHV, RGN
Debra Kroll, MSc; PGCEA; ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Lecturer in Practice
Michelle Lynn, BEd (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Advisor, Nursing and Midwifery Council
Chrissie Hammonds, MSc; RM; RN;
Midwife Ultrasonographer
Sara Wickham, MA; BA (Hons); RM; PGCE (A);
Midwife & Author
Dr. Sandy Oliver, PhD; BA; Reader in Public Policy
Sally Cottrell, RM; BSc; MSc; MICG; NNEB; Consultant
Midwife Public Health, Women & Family
Dr. Gillian Flett, FRCOG; FFSRH; MIPM; Consultant in
Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinical Lead, NHS Grampian
Amanda Mansfield, BSc (Hons); MSc; RM;
Consultant Midwife
Dr. Joyshri Sarangi, MBBS (Lond.); MBA; MRCP (UK);
MRCGP; FFPH; Consultant in Communicable Disease Control
