Thalassaemia Tests

Thalassaemia carriers are the easily detected through blood tests. The tests are:

1. Complete blood count
2. Blood smear (also called peripheral smear and manual differential)
3. DNA analysis
4. CVS (chorionic villus sampling) parental testing to detect Thalassemia in the fetus.

Psychological Aspects of Testing
The earlier the test is done in a pregnancy, lesser the psychological factors affecting the family. CVS is performed at 11–12 weeks in the pregnancy before the mother develops a deep bond with the pregnancy.