A couple with the same type of mild thalassemia has a 1 in 4 chance of having a child with severe thalassemia, a 1 in 4 chance of having a normal child, and a 1 in 2 chance of having a child with mild thalassemia. If both spouses have the same type of thalassemia, they must receive genetic counseling at the time of pregnancy, and they should be monitored regularly during the pregnancy and have an amniotic fluid test to rule out the birth of a child with severe thalassemia. If both spouses have different types of thalassemia, such as alpha mild thalassemia or beta mild thalassemia, there is a 3/4 chance that the child born will have mild thalassemia and a 1/4 chance that the child will be normal and can have the next generation.