Supporting data: A West African visitor to the United Kingdom in the early weeks of pregnancy. Hb = 9.0g/dl. Routine haemoglobin electrophoresis (Tris buffer pH 8.9) demonstrates two major variants in roughly equal proportions one of which overlies the position to which HbA2 normally migrates while the other is level with a point approximately half way between the HbA + HbA2 (normal) control. Note what the photomicrograph of this patient`s blood film shows and consider your response to the findings.