Hereditary Persistence Of Fetal Hemoglobin (HPFH)- 5 Deletions Test

Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin aka HPHF is a test to access the elevation or continued existence of fetal hemoglobin in adults. Fetal Hemoglobin (HbF) is a type of hemoglobin present in the human fetus during the last seven months of development in the uterus. It remains present in the body of newborn till 6 months and later is replaced by adult hemoglobin (HbA). In a healthy adult, the normal amount of HbF remains less than one percent. It can be increased when an adult is suffering from these conditions: Pregnancy, Anemia and Leukemia. HPHF determines whether the HbF has elevated or is still present in an adult body.

There is no special preparation required before the test. It is recommended that you wear loose fitting clothes for the test. Wearing sleeveless or short-sleeved shirt should be preferred. You are not required to change or alter your diet. Drinking water and staying hydrated is highly encouraged before the test as it helps in drawing the blood easily and with no or little pain. Ask your lab provider or doctor beforehand, if you are required to fast or not and any other instructions to be followed during the test.

As mentioned above, HPHF helps in detecting whether the amount of fetal hemoglobin has increased or is still present in the body or not.
It is used to detect the exact amount of HbF.
Determines the distribution of HbF within red blood cells.
Distinguishes higher deletional hereditary persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin from other conditions such as Pregnancy, Anemia and Leukemia.
High levelof HbF benefits a person dealing with sickle cell disease. Therefore, they are bound to get this test done frequently.

Around 3 millilitres of blood would be obtained from you. The entire procedure will not take more than 15 minutes or so. A well-trained phlebotomist will assist you in the entire process.
A tight band is put on the arm to slow the blood flow and causing the vein to swell.
An antiseptic wipe or cotton dipped in alcohol is used to clean the area of skin.
A needle is then injected through the rinsed area into your vein and a blood sample is drawn.
The blood is saved in a container and labelled with your name and details.
This sample is carried to the research laboratory for further examination.