Will the child be free from thalassemia if you are alpha and father is beta trait?

The inheritance pattern of thalassemia is as follows:

- Normal (A): This allele codes for the normal production of alpha and beta-globin chains, resulting in normal levels of hemoglobin A.

- Alpha-thalassemia trait (α+): This allele results in a reduced production of alpha-globin chains but does not cause anemia on its own. Individuals with alpha-thalassemia trait usually have mild symptoms if any.

- Beta-thalassemia trait (β+): This allele results in a reduced production of beta-globin chains, leading to slightly lower levels of hemoglobin A. Individuals with beta-thalassemia trait also typically have mild symptoms or none at all.

In the case where the mother is an alpha-thalassemia trait (α+) and the father is a beta-thalassemia trait (β+), the possible genotypes and phenotypes of their child are as follows:

1. Normal (Aα/Aβ): The child inherits an A allele from both parents, resulting in normal production of both alpha- and beta-globin chains. The child will be unaffected by thalassemia.

2. Alpha-thalassemia trait (α+/αβ): The child inherits an A allele from the mother and an a+ allele from the father. This combination results in a mildly reduced production of alpha-globin chains, but it is unlikely to cause any significant health problems. The child will have alpha-thalassemia trait.

3. Beta-thalassemia trait (Aα/β+): The child inherits an A allele from the mother and a B+ allele from the father. This combination leads to a moderately reduced production of beta-globin chains, which may cause mild symptoms such as mild anemia. However, it is generally a mild condition.

4. Alpha-thalassemia trait + beta-thalassemia trait (α+/β+): The child inherits an a+ allele from the mother and a B+ allele from the father. This combination results in a mild to moderate reduction in both alpha- and beta-globin chains production. While the child may experience some symptoms such as anemia, it is typically a mild form of thalassemia.

Therefore, the child will not be entirely free from the possibility of inheriting some form of thalassemia if both parents carry trait alleles for alpha-thalassemia and beta-thalassemia, respectively. However, the severity of thalassemia in the child is likely to be mild to moderate, assuming that both parents have only trait alleles and not full-blown thalassemia conditions.