Guidance

Sickle cell and thalassaemia: screening handbook

Guidance for healthcare professionals covering the pathway for sickle cell and thalassaemia screening.

Documents

Appendix 1: Haemoglobinopathy carriers

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Appendix 2: Benign haemoglobin conditions

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Appendix 3 – Sickle cell disease

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Appendix 4: Thalassaemia conditions

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Appendix 5: example of affected baby counselling form

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Appendix 6: pathway for counselling and referral for PND

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Appendix 7: at risk pregnancy alert form

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Appendix 8: PND outcome form

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Appendix 9: Sample neonatal screening and counselling form

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Details

This handbook includes guidance for healthcare professionals who provide counselling and referral for prenatal diagnosis (PND) to couples and women at risk of having a baby with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia major.

The complete handbook covers all stages of the screening pathway, including:

  • the antenatal pathway with guidance on caring for known ‘at-risk’ couples
  • the screening process and how to follow up screening results
  • the family origin questionnaire and the issues for completion in high and low prevalence trusts
  • special circumstances to be aware of during antenatal screening such as adoption, blood transfusion and bone marrow transplant
  • paternal screening and tips to improve participation
  • testing in subsequent pregnancies
  • the newborn screening pathway, what results are expected and how to deal with them
  • sickle cell disease, thalassaemia major and other haemoglobinopathy disorders and carrier states
  • failsafe, quality assurance and data collection
  • resources and training courses to support the screening programme
Published 1 January 2012
Last updated 6 July 2018 + show all updates
  1. Added Understanding haemoglobinopathies, antenatal screening and SCT newborn screening chapters to handbook.

  2. Added 'antenatal screening: special circumstances' chapter.

  3. Added new sections: Sickle cell and thalassaemia screening overview; Patient societies; Failsafe, quality assurance and data collection; Support and training.

  4. Added new html edition of programme handbook.

  5. First published.