What is Thalassemia Thalassemia is a hereditary condition in which the body does not produce adequate hemoglobin, which carries oxygen finished the bloodstream. Hemoglobin is a protein that originates within the red blood cells. This protein itself is collected of four protein subunits (of which two are called ‘alpha globin’ and the other two are called ‘beta globin’). What causes thalassemia Thalassemia is congenital. This means it’s accepted from parent to child done genes. A gene is part of the body’s cells that stores instructions for the way your figure produces, looks and works. If somebody in your family has or had thalassemia, you can say you have a family past of thalassemia. Occasionally the commands in genes change. This is called a gene change or an alteration. A gene change can cause a gene to not work properly. It also can cause birth flaws or other health conditions. Parentages can pass gene alteration for thalassemia to their children. If you have thalassemia or a famil