{
  "id": 17085546,
  "title": "Genetic testing may help identify inherited blood disorder carrier status earlier",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/genetic-testing-may-help-identify-inherited-blood-disorder-carrier",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-29T16:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-genetic-inherited-blood-disorder-carrier.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Mayo Clinic study reveals that genetic testing can pinpoint individuals who carry inherited blood disorders, even if they are unaware of their carrier status. By analyzing genetic data from nearly 50,000 participants, researchers identified carriers of sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia at clinically significant levels. The study highlights how population-scale genetic testing can supplement existing screening methods, offering patients and healthcare providers additional insight into inherited health risks. Early identification enables opportunities for genetic counseling, informed family planning, and appropriate clinical follow-up. In the U.S., all states screen newborns for hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease, but carrier status identification and reporting have varied, particularly for thalassemias. Some adults were born before widespread newborn screening. The research demonstrates that genetic testing later in life can provide health information previously unavailable. Sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia are inherited disorders affecting hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. Individuals with sickle cell trait or beta-thalassemia trait often exhibit few or no symptoms but can pass the genetic change to offspring. The study utilized data from the Tapestry initiative, which enrolled over 98,000 participants between July 2020 and May 2024. Genetic testing identified 116 sickle cell trait carriers and 98 beta-thalassemia carriers, of whom only 19 and 47 respectively had corresponding diagnosis codes. The findings underscore how genetic testing can supplement screening by uncovering undocumented carrier status, facilitating genetic counseling and informed family planning. Primary care clinicians may play a crucial role in identifying individuals who could benefit from testing before pregnancy, enabling preconception counseling and informed family planning.",
  "summary": "Mayo Clinic researchers have found that genetic testing can help identify people who carry inherited blood disorder traits, including individuals who may not otherwise know their carrier status. Earlier identification can create opportunities for genetic counseling, informed family planning and appropriate clinical follow-up.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}