[Prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia].

Mass screening of married couples in the town of Baku has revealed a couple at risk of giving birth to a child with homozygotic beta-thalassemia. Prenatal diagnosis was carried out during week 23 of pregnancy by means of cordocentesis and biochemical analysis of globin chains, in vitro synthesized in fetal blood in the presence of labeled leucin. beta-thalassemia was detected in the fetus, similarly as in the child in this family. Abortion was induced on pregnancy week 25. Prenatal diagnosis is recommended in case of another pregnancy during the first trimester, involving analysis of the chorionic villi DNA.