Scientific Journal of

  Abstract

 Background and Objectives

  Pre-marital screening program for beta-thalassemia is one of the most important preventive programs in Iranian health system . The results of this program in Isfahan province have been evaluated within 1376-89 (1997-2010) in the present article.

 Materials and Methods

 The method of this study is descriptive and cross-sectional using the current data, received from districts health centers of Isfahan province within 1376-89 (1997-2010). Then we analyzed the data by using SPSS-19 and Excel softwares.

 Results

  Out of 616,457 potential couples screened in pre-marital screening centers, 1194 (0.19%) were considered to be definite carriers of beta-thalassemia (HbA2>3.5 in both partners), and 3314 couples (0.63%) suspicious for. The incidence rate of the disease decreased from 43.7 cases/100,000 live births in 1376 to 1.5 cases/100,000 live births in 1389. The most prevalent causes of new cases were estimated to be marriage of parents before commencement of the program (51%), family values and cultural backgrounds (15%), genetic counseling defects (9%), health care defects (6%), and screening test errors (5%) .

 Conclusions

 We conclude that some health-related interventions are required to be made. Promoting genetic counseling, following up suspicious or carrier couples with no screening record, community awareness raising about prevention program of thalassemia especially among students and marriage officers.