Objective:To investigate the hematologic indices of mothers in non-immune hydrops fetalis pregnancies and identify the possible causative role of Alpha-Thalassemia among them.
Material and methods: From 2005 to 2007, 11386 hydrops fetalis cases in three major obstetric hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences were recorded. Indirect coombs test and hematologic indices of maternal samples were assessed.
Results: Among 11386 deliveries, 67 hydrops fetalis cases were detected. Forty-one (62%) cases were immune type and 26 (38%) cases were non-immunehydrops. All the mothers had MCV more than 80 fl and 25 mothers had MCH more than 27 pg, so none of themhad Alpha-Thalassemia carrier criteria.
Conclusion: Alpha- Thalassemia is not the major cause of hydrops fetalis in this study and cost-effectiveness of population scaled biochemical and/or molecular screening programs of α-globin gene mutations in Tehran population is under question.