Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body and should be flat, circular, and soft. This allows them to squeeze through our smallest blood vessels. An important protein inside the RBCs called hemoglobin holds onto the oxygen as the RBCs travel around the body. Hemoglobinopathies are inherited diseases of hemoglobin.
Sickle disease disease (SCD) happens when someone inherits two sickle cell genes from both their mother and father. It causes the RBC to become rigid and sickle- or banana-shaped which can block blood from flowing into the small blood vessels. Information about SCD is under construction currently. Please check back.
Sickle cell trait is when someone inherits one sickle cell gene from one parent and one normal hemoglobin gene from the other. People with SCT generally quite healthy. Click here to read more about sickle cell trait.
Thalassemia is a group of inherited blood disorders that affect the amount of hemoglobin a person can make. For the most part, the hemoglobin that is made is normal, but there is just less of it. There are two main types: alpha and beta thalassemia. Click here for more information about alpha thalassemia trait. Information about other thalassemia are coming soon.
Most people in the world have one type of hemoglobin, called Hemglobin A. However, there are hundreds of different hemoglobins found in families around the world. Some of these function the same as Hemoglobin A and do not cause problems, but others do not function the same and can cause symptoms. Read about Hemoglobin E here. Other common hemoglobin variants are coming soon.
All states have tested newborns for sickle cell disease since 2006. Although the purpose of the test is to find babies with sickle cell disease as early as possible, the newborn screen also identifies babies who inherited other types of hemoglobins, including alpha thalassemia. Click here if your baby's primary care provider received a letter saying that your newborn son or daughter may have one of these other types of hemoglobins.
