α‐Thalassemia: Hb H Disease and Hb Barts Hydrops Fetalis

A bstract : α‐Thalassemia mutations are one of the most common mutations of man, and they cause Hb H disease and Hb Barts hydrops fetalis. Hb H disease is not necessarily a benign disorder as has been generally thought. Furthermore, in southern China and in Southeast Asia, there are 2‐3 times more fetuses afflicted with the invariably fatal Hb Barts hydrops fetalis than with the β‐thalassemia major or intermedia. These findings underscore the public health importance of these hereditary disorders, and they call for better education, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research for these diseases.