New Delhi: Anshu Gupta, a school teacher, ensured her fiance got himself tested for thalassemia before tying the knot so that their children don't suffer from the hereditary blood disorder. Doctors say many couples are now coming forward to undergo pre-marital thalassemia test.

According to doctors, more than 10,000 thalassemic children are born in India every year and it can be easily prevented through greater awareness.

May 8 is globally celebrated as 'International Thalassemia Day'.

"It is an inherited blood disorder in which the patients need to undergo regular blood transfusion since their body cannot produce enough haemoglobin," Dharma Choudhary, senior consultant and director hemato-oncology and bone marrow transplant, B.L.K. Super Specialty Hospital, told IANS.

Choudhary said that owing to spread of awareness many couples do come for thalassemia test but more needs to be done.

"It is important that everyone before marriage should go for thalassemia test to ensure that both the partners don't suffer from the genetic disorder. In case both the partners are suffering from it, chances to have a child suffering from thalassemia major (chronic) increases," he said.

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