FREQUENCY OF BETA THALASSEMIA TRAIT IN PREGNANT ANEMIC PATIENTS ATTENDING KHYBER TEACHING HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR-PAKISTAN

Abstract

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of beta thalassemia trait in pregnant anemic patients attending Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan. METHODS: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from 3rd November 2015 to 3rd May 2016. All pregnant women of any parity with hemoglobin value of <10.5g/dl presenting in first trimester and in age group of 15-45 years were included while pregnant anemic women who were already diagnosed cases of haemoglobinopathies were excluded. RESULTS: Our study of 194 pregnant anemic patients showed that mean age was 27.74±5.16 years. The age distribution was 125 (64.43%) patients in 15-30 years age group and 69 (35.56%) patients in 31-45years age group. Mean hemoglobin level was recorded as 9.43±0.40 mg/dl and mean HbA2 was 4.26±0.52. Mean value for mean corpuscular volume was 60.23±1.57fl and for mean corpuscular hemoglobin was 21±0.42 g/dl. The results of our study for beta thalassemia trait in pregnant anemic patients were recorded as 110 (56.7%) were positive whereas 84(43.29%) had no beta thalassemia traits. Among 125 patients in 15-30 years’ age range, 65 (52%) were positive for beta thalassemia trait while out of the 69 pregnant anemic patients in age range of 31-45 years, 45 (65.2%) had beta thalassemia trait (p-value=0.113). CONCLUSION: Beta thalassemia trait is very common and is found in more than half of pregnant anemic patients in our region. KEY WORDS: Anemia (MeSH); Beta-Thalassemia (MeSH); Beta-Thalassemia Trait (Non-MeSH); Hemoglobins (MeSH); Antenatal Care (MeSH); Penatal Care (MeSH); Mortality (MeSH); Morbidity (MeSH).