Sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder in which the body produces sickle- or C-shaped red blood cells. These abnormally shaped blood cells die early, resulting in a shortage of red blood cells. The shortage of red blood cells causes anemia. According to the Illinois Department of Health, more than 70,000 Americans suffer from sickle cell disease. While the disease affects people of all races, it is more common among African-Americans. Approximately one out of 12 African-Americans is affected with sickle cell.
Sickle Cell Types
People who inherit a sickle cell gene from each parent have sickle cell anemia--the most severe type of the disease. People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one beta thalassemia gene, another type of anemia, generally have a less severe type of sickle cell disease. Individuals who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene are said to have the sickle cell trait. These individuals can live a normal life with no complications, but can pass the disease on to their children.
Inheritance
According to the Georgia Department of Community Health, if two people with the sickle cell trait conceive a child, there is a 50 percent chance that child will have sickle cell trait and a 25 percent chance the child will be unaffected or have sickle cell disease. These risks are for each pregnancy. If one parent has normal hemoglobin and the other has sickle cell trait, the child will typically not have sickle cell disease. If you carry the sickle cell trait, you may consider meeting with a genetics counselor to help you understand the risks associated with conceiving a child.
Early Detection
Early diagnosis of sickle cell anemia is important. The disease can be detected at birth during routine infant blood testing. Sickle cell anemia can also be detected prior to birth. Newborn sickle cell screening programs are available in all 50 states across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infants typically will not experience sickle cell disease complications until they are four- to five-months-old--the time at which baby hemoglobin is replaced with adult hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the pigmentation that makes the red blood cells red.
