The detection of the single base pair mutations at codon 6 of the beta-globin gene is important for the prenatal diagnosis of sickle-cell anaemia and SC disease. A novel procedure has been designed to create a restriction site at both the beta A and beta C alleles to facilitate the discrimination of haemoglobins A, S and C. The general principle of this procedure is to enzymatically amplify genomic DNA using a modified primer containing an altered 3'-terminal nucleotide to create these restriction sites. After this modified primer has been efficiently incorporated into amplified DNA, the PCR products are digested with the restriction enzymes Ava I and Sty I. Ava I recognizes a site in amplified DNA containing a beta A allele, and Sty I recognizes a site in DNA containing a beta C allele. Since the beta A and beta C alleles can be distinguished directly by the presence of a restriction site, the beta S allele can be identified indirectly. All three beta-globin alleles are easily distinguished by size and pattern of electrophoresed fragments on agarose gels. This procedure is specific and sensitive, thus permitting rapid, economical diagnosis of sickle-cell anaemia and SC disease.