The Microcytic Anemia Factor among Pregnancy with Thalassemias: The Preliminary Study at Maesot Hospital, Tak Province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the microcytic anemia factor (MAF) among

participants with apparently healthy and pregnant women who attended the screening program for thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies  at Maesot Hospital during January 2007 to December

1. 2016. Two thousand and fifty  six  participants were  recruited. Complete  blood  count  and MAF calculated from [Hb*MCV/100] were obtained in all samples. Thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies were evaluated by using DCIP-test and Hb typing by automated Hb ana- The result reveals calculated MAF 12.5  ± 1.2 in normal group which was statistically different from that in pregnant women without thalassemia. In pregnant women, MAF in thalassemia were lower than non-thalassemia (5.6-9.1). In Hb E carrier group with Hb E ≥ 25%,

calculated MAF was 9.1  ± 1.1 which was greater than those with Hb E < 25%. In addition,

calculated MAF among homozygous Hb EE, Hb H and β-thal/Hb E disease were 6.7 ± 1.1, 5.6

± 0.7, and 5.9  ± 2.3, respectively. The results demonstrated that calculated MAF among normal and pregnant women were different. It was decreased in thalassemia and more declined according to number of globin gene defects. Therefore, MAF parameter may be applied to predict α- thal 1 following CBC and DCIP testing prior to Hb typing analysis and α-thal 1 DNA

analysis.