WANDE FIGHT'S FOR SICKLE CELL ANEMIA AWARENESS™

Quick Fact:

People at high risk for having sickle cell trait are those whose ancestors come from Africa, South or Central America, Caribbean, Mediterranean countries, India, and Saudi Arabia. 


~Facts About Sickle Cell Trait~

People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have the sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any of the symptoms of the disease, but they can pass it on to their children.

1) Q.How is sickle cell trait diagnosed?
A. Sickle cell trait is diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of 
having sickle cell trait can talk to a doctor or health clinic about getting this 
test.

2) Q. Are there any complications?
A. It is possible for a person with sickle cell trait to experience complications 
of sickle cell disease, such as splenic sequestration, ?pain crisis?, and, 
rarely, sudden death. 

This can happen under extreme conditions of:
-High altitude (flying, mountain climbing, or cities with a high altitude)
-Increased pressure (scuba diving)
-Low oxygen (mountain climbing or exercising extremely hard, such as in 
military boot camp or when training for an athletic competition)
-Dehydration (too little water in the body)

3) Q. Can women with sickle cell trait have a healthy pregnancy?
A. Yes; women who have sickle cell trait can have a healthy pregnancy. 
People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have the sickle 
cell ?trait?. People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any of the 
symptoms of the disease and live a normal life, but they can pass the 
disease on to their children.

-A genetic counselor can provide information about the chance of passing 
the disease to the baby. 
-During pregnancy, there is a test to find out if the baby will have sickle cell 
disease, sickle cell trait, or neither one. The test is usually conducted after 
the second month of pregnancy.

4) Q. What is the chance of a person with sickle cell trait having a child with sickle cell trait or sickle cell disease?
A. Sickle cell disease is recessive, which means that both parents             must pass on the sickle cell gene for a child to be born with the             disease. A genetic counselor can provide information about the             chance of passing the disease to the baby.

5) Q. Who discovered sickle cell anemia?
A. Linus Pauling discovered the chemical abnormality of the                       hemoglobin molecule that causes the erythrocyte sickling in 1949.