Can a mother with hemoglobin E trait affect her children?

Question

Hello doctor,

The last few days, my wife says that she feels sick. After that, I took my wife to the doctor. She suggested a few tests, including HB electrophoresis, ferritin, TSH, PPBS, USG lower abdomen, CBC, PBF, and urine test.

Here are the results:

Hb%: 10.2
Platelet: 266000
RBC: 4.28
WBC: 7300
MCV:74
HCT/PCV: 32%
TSH: 4.39.
Pus cell: 1-2
Epithelial cell: 1-3
PPBS: 5.9
USG: normal
S. ferritin: 10.98 ng/ml
HB electrophoresis: Hb A- 71.3, Hb E-25.3, HbA2 - 3.4

Doctor comments: Blood disorder, hemoglobin E trait.

Kindly explain the report. As far as I know, HbE trait patients generally have higher ferritin levels, but in my wife, they are lower than normal. I am afraid about my one-year-old baby boy, the next baby, and the next generation.

Please suggest.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

The serum ferritin level is not high in every case of hemolytic anemia. Your electrophoresis report is suggestive of HbE (attachment removed to protect patient identity). It is a case of a mild form of hemolytic anemia. In that case, the ferritin level might not be raised.

Along with low ferritin, your red blood cell count is also low. Usually, in hemoglobinopathy, the red blood cell count is high. So your wife's complete diagnosis is HbE trait with secondary iron deficiency anemia. So you can give your wife Iron tablets to raise the hemoglobin and ferritin levels.

HbE is not a major hemolytic disease, so you need not worry about your child or future child, even if your child acquires the HbE trait. A HbE trait patient lives a normal life.

I strongly recommend that you get investigated for hemoglobinopathy by electrophoresis because if you have the trait, then your child can acquire HbE disease. So, revert back with your electrophoresis report as well.

I hope this will help you.

Thank you.