Alpha Thalassemia Silent Carriers

In alpha thalassemia silent carrier, you only have one alpha missing. It can often be mistaken for iron deficiency anemia with the low MCV. In H B H disease, you have deletion of three alpha genes. Because of the imbalance between alpha and beta, you have these excess HB barts in utero,. And then you have excess HB H, the beta tetramers after birth.