Your blood tests have shown that you are a carrier of one gene for haemochromatosis.

Being a carrier for the haemochromatosis (HC) gene is very common. About 1 in every 10 people (or 10%) carries one copy of the HC gene. There is no need to worry about this from the point of view of your own personal health because you need to have 2 copies of the gene before you are at risk of problems with iron overload.

It would be a good idea to get your iron stores checked again in 6 months and this test has been added this to your notes. Please make an appointment at the Treatment Room nearer the time.

Family Implications for Carriers

There is a small but significant risk that your children will have 2 copies of the gene and therefore be at risk of iron overload. This is because everyone in the population has a 10% chance of being a carrier for HC and therefore your partner could be a carrier too.

If you AND your partner both happen to be carriers, then each of your children has a 1 in 4 chance (25%) of having 2 copies of the gene.

The simplest way to make sure that your children are not at risk of iron overload is to ask your partner to have the same blood test to see if they are a carrier. Please ask them to discuss this with their GP.

Please see https://www.haemochromatosis.org.uk/haemochromatosis-carriers for more information.