Basic Information
What is sickle cell anemia?
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited and noncontagious disease in which there are not enough normal red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. People with sickle cell anemia have crescent shaped red blood cells causing them to be abnormal. Sickle cell anemia is only one type of sickle cell disease. The other types of sickle cell disease includes: hemoglobin SC disease, hemoglobin beta thalassemia, and beta-zero thalassemia.
So, what's the problem with those abnormal cells?
These crescent shaped cells are the main cause of the troubles associated with sickle cell anemia. Other than being crescent shaped, these cells are also very rigid and sticky. These qualities of the cells cause them to have a high chance of getting stuck in the blood vessels. The cells can also limit oxygen from being transported to different parts of the body which may then cause a stroke.
How exactly can a person get sickle cell anemia?
As previously stated, sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease, meaning a person only gets it if it is passed down to him or her. To get the disease, a fetus has to contract two altered hemoglobin genes (one from each parent). However, if the child only receive one of these genes he or she will not have the disease. Even though the child will not have the disease, he or she may be affected with the trait (which can continue to be passed down throughout the generations).