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Causes of Anemia: What Is Beta Thalassemia?
Beta thalassemia is a rare, inherited blood disorder that may affect blood cell counts.
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on May 13, 2025Anemia is commonly linked to iron deficiency. However, anemia can happen for a number of reasons. One cause of anemia is a condition called thalassemia. This inherited condition causes the body to have trouble producing hemoglobin, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen.
In this video, learn about one subtype — beta thalassemia — and how it can cause anemia, according to Jonathan Feld, MD, Hematology Specialist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Additional Medical Contributors
- Jonathan Feld, MDJonathan Feld, MD, is a hematology specialist at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
References
American Society of Hematology. (n.d.). Anemia.
Bajway, H., et al. (2022). Thalassemia. StatPearls.
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MedlinePlus. (2016). Anemia.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Hemoglobin.
Needs, T., et al. (2022). Beta thalassemia. StatPearls.
Rasel, M., et al. (2022). Transfusion iron overload. StatPearls.
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