GSTM1 and thalassemia: Fetuses harboring the homozygous state of α0-thalassemia would suffer from a fatal condition known as the hemoglobin (Hb) Bart’s hydrops fetalis syndrome, characterized by severe anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, hypoxia, heart defects, etc. Affected fetuses almost always succumb in utero or die soon after birth5,6.