Conclusion
anemia
BLOOD DISORDER, ANEMIA, BETA THALASSEMIA, IRON DEFICIENCY, HEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS, ALPHA THALASSEMIA
In our community-based sample of an apparently healthy population in rural Sylhet, Bangladesh, we found that around 10% of women and their children had a hemoglobin blood disorder, with 2% having beta thalassemia, 2–3% hemoglobin E, and 5–7% alpha thalassemia. To our knowledge, this is the first estimate of alpha thalassemia among both women and children in this region. These numbers, while elevated, likely do not explain the high levels of anemia despite lack of iron deficiency that have been reported in this region and population. The high prevalence of alpha thalassemia, which may not manifest in anemia but has been shown to result in altered iron metabolism as well as lead to more severe hemoglobin disorders of offspring, warrants attention. Further assessment should be done in the region to inform public health planning—including iron supplementation strategies—and genetic counselling services.