Last Updated on November 29, 2024 by Analgesia team
Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Carrier
Sickle cell carrier happens when only one of your parents has passed on the sickle cell gene. You will never develop into sickle cell disorder.
Sickle cell trait is a genetic condition that results when an individual inherits a gene for normal hemoglobin (A) and a gene for sickle hemoglobin (S) that results in the genotype (AS).
You do not have symptoms from sickle cell trait, so it is a good idea to have a blood test to see if you have sickle cell trait. If you have the trait, the majority of red cells in the blood are normal round shaped cells. Some sickle shaped cells may be present under certain conditions.
Most people with sickle cell trait are healthy. Sickle cell trait is relatively benign because patients do not have vaso-occlusive crises like individuals with sickle cell disease; they have a better quality of life, and mortality is the same as the rest of the general population.
How Sickle Cell Trait Is Inherited
Sickle cell trait (SCT) occurs when someone inherits one sickle cell gene from one parent and a normal hemoglobin gene from the other. People with SCT are often called carriers of the sickle cell gene because they can pass it on to their children.
SCT is different from sickle cell disease (SCD). People with SCT are usually healthy and don’t have symptoms of SCD. However, they can have similar symptoms to SCD under certain conditions, such as High altitude, low oxygen from intense exercise, severe dehydration, and deep sea or scuba diving.
Sickle cell trait is diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of having SCT can talk with a doctor or health clinic about getting this test.
If you and your partner are both carriers of the sickle cell gene and are planning to have a baby, you can talk to your doctor about getting a referral to a genetic counselor. A genetic counselor can explain the risks to your children and your options, such as:
- Testing during pregnancy to see if your baby will have SCD
- Adopting a child
- Trying IVF with a donor egg or sperm
- Trying pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD