In this situation, a fetus will develop hydrops fetalis and normally die before or shortly after birth, unless intrauterine blood transfusion is performed.
[2] Since hemoglobin Barts is elevated in alpha thalassemia, it can be measured, providing a useful screening test for this disease in some populations.
Deletion of four alpha globin genes was previously felt to be incompatible with life, but there are currently 69 patients who have survived past infancy.
[6] The chance of a fetus developing Hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis is dependent upon if one or both parent carries the alpha-thalassemia trait.
[8] Parents at risk of having a child with Fetal Hydrops can continue their pregnancy with regular ultrasounds and intrauterine blood transfusion.
Babies of such parents are born with no edema or major neurological defects, and eventually, this disease can be cured with Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.