You mentioned that you received a letter in the mail saying that your baby has an unidentified hemoglobin trait, and of course, you’re wondering what that means. Ultimately, I suggest talking with your pediatrician about it, and they’ll be able to give you tailored information and advice. Generally speaking though, an unidentified hemoglobin is discovered when we do routine testing on a newborn, and it doesn’t mean that the baby has a disease or that they’re sick. They’re healthy, but they have an unidentified hemoglobin trait. And basically, what that means is that one parent passed on a normal hemoglobin trait, and the other parent may be a carrier of an unusual hemoglobin trait and passed that along to the baby, so then they have an unidentified hemoglobin trait.
Most types don’t cause problems. You’re doctor may recommend that your child is retested as he or she gets older, because as a person starts to make adult hemoglobin, the unidentified trait disappears. It might also be a good idea to talk with a genetic counselor, because they can discuss if this has any implications for future children or for grandchildren. If you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IntermountainMoms, and recommend us to your friends and family too. Video Rating: / 5
What is sickle cell anemia? Sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive genetic condition where the beta-globin protein subunit of hemoglobin is misshapen, which ultimately leads to a sickle-shaped red blood cell, which is prematurely destroyed and can get stuck in small blood vessels. Find our full video library only on Osmosis: http://osms.it/more.
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