Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a person catch Sickle Cell Disease from someone who has it?  

No. The disease is inherited and is not contagious. To inherit the disease, a child must receive two sickle cell genes, one from each parent who “carries” a sickle cell gene.

2. Is Sickle cell “Trait” the same thing as Sickle Cell Disease? 

No. A person who inherits the sickle cell gene from one parent and the normal type of that gene from the other parent is said to have sickle cell trait. They are as healthy as non- carriers, rarely having any health problems related to trait. Sickle cell trait cannot change to become sickle cell disease. However, when two people with sickle cell trait have a child, their child may inherit two sickle cell genes.

3. What are the chances that parents with Sickle Cell Trait will pass it on to their children?             

There is a 50% chance that a child born to a couple who both carry a sickle cell gene will have the trait, like the parents. There is 25% chance that the child will have sickle cell disease. There are also 25% chances that the child will have neither trait nor the disease.

Each successive pregnancy has the same set of chances. If only one parent has the trait and the other has no abnormal hemoglobin gene, there is no chance that their children will have sickle cell disease.

4. Can a woman with Sickle Cell Disease have a normal pregnancy?

Yes. However, affected women are at an increased risk of complications that can affect their health and that of their babies. During pregnancy, the disease may become more severe and painful crisis may occur more frequently. A pregnant woman with sickle cell disease is at increased risk of preterm labor, and of having a low – birth weight baby. However, with early prenatal care and careful monitoring throughout pregnancy, women with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

5. Is there a test for Sickle Cell Disease or Trait?

Yes. Readily available blood tests such as hemoglobin electrophoresis can      identify people who have either sickle cell trait or a form of the disease, as well as a number of other inherited hemoglobin abnormalities. There also is a prenatal test to determine whether the baby will have sickle cell disease, carry the trait, or be unaffected.

6. Where is Sickle Cell testing and treatment?

Couples who are planning to have baby can get carrier testing at medical centers.

7. Is there a cure for Sickle Cell Disease?

A few children with sickle cell disease have been cured through a bone marrow transplant, using donated bone marrow from an immunological matcher sibling.

8. Is it possible to detect Sickle Cell Anemia in an unborn baby?

Yes. By sampling the amniotic fluid or tissues taken from the Placenta. The doctors can tell whether a fetus has Sickle Cell Anemia or Sickle Cell Trait. This test can be done as early as the first trimester of Pregnancy
 

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