Every year 10,000 newborn babies in India could be saved from a fatal disorder, had their parents undergone a simple blood test before marriage to find out a possible errant gene. Doctors say over 30 million Indians carry the deadly gene causing thalassemia. The prevalence is increasing among the Sindhis, Punjabis, Gujaratis, and Bengalis. This can be prevented either by marriage counselling or by avoiding the birth of thalassemic children.