The Committee upon Practice Bulleti...

The Committee upon Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics of the American corporation of Obstetricians and gynecologists (ACOG) has released a practice bulletin onward screening for and managing hemoglobinopathies during pregnancy. Practice Bulletin Number 64 "Hemoglobin-opathies in Pregnancy," was published in the July 2005 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology

The ACOG recommendations, which are based forward good, consistent evidence, include the following:

* [i]role[/i]s of African, Southeast Asian, and Mediterranean declivity are at increased risk of carrying hemoglobinopathies and should be tendered screening and genetic counseling. Figure 1 is an algorithm for the antepartum evaluation for hematologic assessment of human frames from high-risk groups.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

* Appropriate hemoglobinopathy screening should include a total blood count and hemoglobin electrophoresis. Solubility standards alone should not be used as screening tools.

* Parents at high risk of having a child with sickle small room disease or thalassemia should be put forwarded genetic counseling, and a prenatal diagnosis should be obtained end DNA analysis of cultured amniocytes or chorionic villi.

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group