Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" id="health_topic" class="nojs us" data-root="https://medlineplus.gov/"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" /> <meta http-equiv="window-target" content="_top" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/sicklecelldisease.html" /> <meta name="ac-dictionary" content="medlineplus-ac-dictionary" /> <meta name="description" content="Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited disorders that affect your red blood cells. It can cause pain, anemia, and other problems. Learn about treatments." /> <link rel="schema.DC" href="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" title="The Dublin Core metadata Element Set"/> <meta name="DC.Title" content="Sickle Cell Disease"/> <meta name="DC.Title.Alternate" content="Hemoglobin SS Disease"/> <meta name="DC.Title.Alternate" content="Sickle Cell Anemia"/> <meta name="DC.Subject.MeSH" content="Anemia, Sickle Cell"/> <meta name="DC.Relation.IsPartOf" content="Blood, Heart and Circulation"/> <meta name="DC.Relation.IsPartOf" content="Genetics/Birth Defects"/> <meta name="DC.Identifier.URL" content="https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html"/> <meta name="DC.Publisher" content="National Library of Medicine"/> <meta name="DC.Language" content="eng"/> <meta name="DC.Type" content="Text"/> <meta name="DC.Date.Modified" content="2024-09-06"/> <meta name="NLMDC.Date.Modified.Major" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Date.Created" content="1999-09-23"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/touch-icon.png" /> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1042245625821448" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia | MedlinePlus" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/sickle-cell-vessel-no-gap-for-text_share.jpg" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited disorders that affect your red blood cells. It can cause pain, anemia, and other problems. Learn about treatments." /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@medlineplus" /> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@medlineplus" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia | MedlinePlus" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited disorders that affect your red blood cells. It can cause pain, anemia, and other problems. Learn about treatments." /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/sickle-cell-vessel-no-gap-for-text_share.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Sickle Cell Disease"/> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Sickle Cell Disease" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia | MedlinePlus" href="https://medlineplus.gov/feeds/topics/sicklecelldisease.xml" /> <title>Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia | MedlinePlus</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/common_new.css?1732598013275" />  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/css/uswds_styles.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/topic.css"> <script type="text/javascript">document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className = document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className.replace( /(?:^|\s)nojs(?!\S)/g , '').trim();</script> <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds-init.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MMVM77');</script> </head> <body> <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MMVM77" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden" title="googletagmanager"></iframe></noscript> <a name="top" id="top"></a> <a class="hide-offscreen" href="#start">Skip navigation</a> <section class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official website of the United States government" > <div class="usa-accordion"> <header class="usa-banner__header"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="" /> </div> <div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true"> <p class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </p> <p class="usa-banner__header-action">Here鈥檚 how you know</p> </div> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default" > <span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here鈥檚 how you know</span> </button> </div> </header> <div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default-default" > <div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg"> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br />A <strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br />A <strong>lock</strong> ( <span class="icon-lock" ><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false" > <title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title> <desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc> <path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z" /> </svg> </span >) or <strong>https://</strong> means you鈥檝e safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div id="mplus-wrap"> <header> <div id="mplus-header"> <div id="mplus-orgs"> <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" class="nih-org" target="_blank" title="National Institutes of Health"> <img class="nihlogo" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nihlogo.png" alt="National Institutes of Health"/> </a><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/" target="_blank"> National Library of Medicine</a> </div> <div id="mplus-logo" class="years-25"> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/"> <img alt="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" title="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_25.png"/> </a> </div> <div id="mplus-nav"> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> <button id="sm-menu-btn" class="navmenu-btn" title="Menu" role="button" aria-controls="mplus-menu-list" type="submit">Menu<span class="icon icon-nav-menu"></span></button> <ul id="mplus-menu-list" class="nav-list"> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs & Supplements</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li> </ul><button id="sm-search-btn" class="navmenu-btn" title="Search" role="button" aria-controls="mplus-search" type="submit"><span class="hide-offscreen"></span>Search<span class="icon icon-nav-search"></span></button> <div class="top-1"> <form id="mplus-search" method="get" action="https://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta" title="Search MedlinePlus" target="_self"> <input type="hidden" name="v:project" value="medlineplus"/> <input type="hidden" name="v:sources" value="medlineplus-bundle"/> <div class="form-box text-combo"> <div class="form-area"><label class="hide-offscreen" for="searchtext_primary">Search MedlinePlus</label> <input id="searchtext_primary" class="form-text" type="text" placeholder="Search MedlinePlus" alt="#Site Search input" title="Site Search input" maxlength="400" size="40" name="query" autocomplete="off" role="textbox" aria-autocomplete="list" aria-haspopup="true"/> </div> <div class="button-area"> <button class="form-btn" title="Search MedlinePlus" alt="Search MedlinePlus" type="submit">GO</button> </div> </div> </form> <div class="secondarynav"> <ul class="nav-list"> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/"><span>About MedlinePlus</span></a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html"><span>Site Map</span></a></li> <li><a href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=https%3A//medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" target="_blank"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="mplus-nav-bar"> <ul class="nav-list"> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs & Supplements</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li> </ul> </div> <a id="mplus-lang-toggle" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/sicklecelldisease.html" title="Espa帽ol">Espa帽ol</a> </div> </div> </header> <div id="mplus-content"> <div id="breadcrumbs"> <div itemprop="breadcrumb" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList"> <span class="hide-offscreen">You Are Here:</span> <div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a> → <meta itemprop="position" content="1"/> </div> <div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Health Topics</span></a> → <meta itemprop="position" content="2"/> </div> <div> <span>Sickle Cell Disease</span> </div> </div> </div> <span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html</span> <div id="topic"> <article> <div class="page-info"> <div class="page-title syndicate"> <a id="start" name="start"></a> <h1 itemprop="name" class="with-also"> Sickle Cell Disease </h1> <span class="alsocalled">Also called: Hemoglobin SS disease, Sickle cell anemia</span> </div> <div class="page-actions"></div> </div> <div class="main"> <section id="toc-section"> <div id="table-of-contents"> <span class="toc-label">On this page</span> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>Basics</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a title="Go to: Summary" href="#summary">Summary</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Start Here" href="#cat_51">Start Here</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Diagnosis and Tests" href="#cat_92">Diagnosis and Tests</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Treatments and Therapies" href="#cat_78">Treatments and Therapies</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>Learn More</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a title="Go to: Living With" href="#cat_77">Living With</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Related Issues" href="#cat_47">Related Issues</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Genetics" href="#cat_46">Genetics</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p class="evencols clearsection hrdividor"></p> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>See, Play and Learn</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li class="noinfo-subcat">No links available</li> </ul> </div> <p class="threecols clearsection hrdividor"></p> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>Research</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a title="Go to: Statistics and Research" href="#cat_79">Statistics and Research</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Clinical Trials" href="#cat_27">Clinical Trials</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Journal Articles" href="#cat_59">Journal Articles</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p class="evencols clearsection hrdividor"></p> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a title="Go to: Find an Expert" href="#cat_83">Find an Expert</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="toccolumn"> <h3>For You</h3> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a title="Go to: Children" href="#cat_8">Children</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Teenagers" href="#cat_24">Teenagers</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Women" href="#cat_7">Women</a> </li> <li> <a title="Go to: Patient Handouts" href="#cat_69">Patient Handouts</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="summary"></a> <section id="topsum_section"> <div class="summary-title syndicate"> <h2>Summary</h2> </div> <div id="topic-summary" class="syndicate"><h3>What is sickle cell disease (SCD)?</h3> <p>Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. If you have SCD, there is a problem with your hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. With SCD, the hemoglobin forms into stiff rods within the red blood cells. This changes the shape of the red blood cells. The cells are supposed to be disc-shaped, but instead they are crescent, or sickle, shaped.</p> <p>The sickle-shaped cells are not flexible and cannot change shape easily. Many of them burst apart as they move through your blood vessels. The sickle cells usually only last 10 to 20 days, instead of the normal 90 to 120 days. Your body may have trouble making enough new cells to replace the ones that you lost. Because of this, you may not have enough red blood cells. This is a condition called <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/anemia.html">anemia</a>, and it can make you feel tired.</p> <p>The sickle-shaped cells can also stick to vessel walls, causing a blockage that slows or stops the flow of blood. When this happens, oxygen can't reach nearby tissues. The lack of oxygen can cause attacks of sudden, severe pain, called pain crises. These attacks can occur without warning. If you get one, you might need to go to the hospital for treatment.</p> <h3>What causes sickle cell disease (SCD)?</h3> <p>SCD is caused by a <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/sickle-cell-disease/">variant (change) in a gene</a> that has instructions for your body to make one part of the hemoglobin. This changed gene is sometimes called a sickle cell gene. People with SCD are born with two sickle cell genes, one from each parent. </p> <p>If you are born with one sickle cell gene, it's called sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait are generally healthy, but they can pass the defective gene on to their children.</p> <h3>Who is more likely to have sickle cell disease (SCD)?</h3> <p>In the United States, most of the people with SCD are African Americans:</p><ul> <li>About 1 in 13 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell trait</li> <li>About 1 in every 365 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell disease</li> </ul> <p>SCD also affects some people who come from Hispanic, southern European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Indian backgrounds.</p> <h3>What are the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD)?</h3> <p>People with SCD start to have signs of the disease during the first year of life, usually around 5 or 6 months of age. Early symptoms of SCD may include:</p><ul> <li>Painful swelling of the hands and feet</li> <li>Fatigue or fussiness from anemia</li> <li>A yellowish color of the skin (<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/jaundice.html">jaundice</a>) or the whites of the eyes (icterus)</li> </ul> <p>The effects of SCD vary from person to person and can change over time. Most of the signs and symptoms of SCD are related to complications of the disease. They may include severe pain, anemia, organ damage, and infections.</p> <h3>How is sickle cell disease (SCD) diagnosed?</h3> <p>A blood test can show if you have SCD or sickle cell trait. <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetictesting.html">Genetic tests</a> can tell if you have one or two copies of the sickle cell gene. Genetic tests can help confirm an SCD diagnosis if the results from blood tests are not clear. </p> <p>All states now test newborns for SCD (as well as many other treatable conditions) as part of their <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/newbornscreening.html">screening programs</a>. These programs help find the conditions early, so treatment can be started right away.</p> <p>Health care providers can also diagnose SCD before a baby is born. That test uses a sample of amniotic fluid (the liquid in the sac surrounding the baby) or tissue taken from the placenta (the organ that brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby).</p> <p>People who are thinking about having children can have the test to find out how likely it is that their children will have SCD.</p> <h3>What are the treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD)?</h3> <p>There are many ways to manage sickle cell disease. Your medical team will probably include a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood diseases. You will work with your medical team to set up a treatment plan. Possible treatment options may include:</p> <ul> <li>Treatments that can help relieve symptoms and lessen complications, including: <ul> <li>Hydroxyurea, a medicine to reduce sickling of red blood cells. This can help prevent serious symptoms of sickle cell disease. This medicine can be used in adults and in children as young as 9 months old. But this medicine is <strong>not</strong> safe during pregnancy.</li> <li>Voxelotor, another medicine to prevent the sickling of red blood cells. It can be used in adults and children ages 4 years and older.</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/painrelievers.html">Pain relievers</a> for acute or chronic pain.</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/antibiotics.html">Antibiotics</a> to try to prevent infections in younger children.</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bloodtransfusionanddonation.html">Blood transfusions</a> for severe anemia. If you have had some serious complications, such as a <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/stroke.html">stroke</a>, you may have transfusions to prevent more complications.</li> <li>Other treatments for specific complications, such as <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bloodpressuremedicines.html">medicines to lower blood pressure</a> and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/vitamins.html">vitamins</a> to treat a vitamin deficiency.</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bonemarrowtransplantation.html">Bone marrow</a> or <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/stemcells.html">stem cell</a> transplantation, which can cure SCD. Because these transplants are risky and can have serious side effects, they are usually only used in children with severe SCD. For the transplant to work, the bone marrow must be a close match. Usually, the best donor is a brother or sister.</li> <li>Gene therapies to treat SCD in people who are 12 years and older and have had repeated sickle cell crises. These new therapies involve taking some of your blood stem cells and either adding new DNA to them or changing their existing DNA. Then these cells are given back to you, and they can make a type of hemoglobin that is healthy. This can reduce the complications of SCD, including the SCD crises.</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/complementaryandintegrativemedicine.html">Complementary and alternative medicine</a> (CAM) seems to help some people deal with pain caused by SCD. These types of CAM may lower your pain, especially if it is not well managed with medicines::</p> <ul> <li>Cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of counseling)</li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/acupuncture.html">Acupuncture</a></li> <li>Exercise or movement programs, such as yoga</li> <li>Massage</li> <li>Meditation and mindfulness practices</li> <li>Virtual reality, a computer-generated 3D environment you can see with special goggles</li> </ul> <p>It's also important to take steps to keep yourself as healthy as possible:</p> <ul> <li>Get regular medical care</li> <li>Get your routine <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/vaccines.html">vaccinations</a></li> <li>Live a healthy lifestyle</li> <li>Avoid situations that may set off a pain crisis</li> </ul> <p class="attribution">NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</p></div> </section> <a name="cat_51"></a> <section id="cat_51_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header expanded"> <div class="section-title syndicate"> <h2>Start Here </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section51" class="section-body expanded syndicate" aria-expanded="true"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/about/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="105100" >About Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://familydoctor.org/condition/sickle-cell-disease/?adfree=true" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="22604" >Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (American Academy of Family Physicians)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://es.familydoctor.org/condicion/anemia-falciforme-es/?adfree=true" data-sid="51227">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nmdp.org/patients/understanding-transplant/diseases-treated-by-transplant/sickle-cell-disease-treatment-by-transplant" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="105021" >Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (National Marrow Donor Program)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sickle-cell-disease" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="8148" data-org="NHLBI">What Is Sickle Cell Disease?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/es/salud/enfermedad-de-celulas-falciformes" data-sid="75503">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_92"></a> <section id="cat_92_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Diagnosis and Tests </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section92" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/blood-smear/" data-sid="129615" data-org="NLM">Blood Smear</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Library of Medicine)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/pruebas-de-laboratorio/frotis-de-sangre/" data-sid="129663">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/" data-sid="128284" data-org="NLM">Complete Blood Count (CBC)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Library of Medicine)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/pruebas-de-laboratorio/conteo-sanguineo-completo/" data-sid="128296">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-electrophoresis/" data-sid="144686" data-org="NLM">Hemoglobin Electrophoresis</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Library of Medicine)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/pruebas-de-laboratorio/electroforesis-de-hemoglobina/" data-sid="144706">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_78"></a> <section id="cat_78_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Treatments and Therapies </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section78" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/bonemarrowtransplantation.html" data-sid="46635" data-org="NLM">Bone Marrow Transplantation: MedlinePlus Health Topic</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Library of Medicine)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/bonemarrowtransplantation.html" data-sid="52916">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/complications/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="116456" >Complications of Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2023/fda-approval-gene-therapies-sickle-cell-disease-dr-gibbons-dr-panepinto" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160220" data-org="NHLBI">FDA Approval of Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease: Q&A with NHLBI Director Dr. Gary Gibbons and NHLBI's Division of Blood Diseases and Resources Director Dr. Julie Panepinto</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/blood-bone-marrow-treatments" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="66394" data-org="NHLBI">Treatments for Blood Disorders</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/es/salud/sangre-y-medula-osea-tratamientos" data-sid="155946">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_77"></a> <section id="cat_77_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Living With </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section77" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-crisis.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="119616" >Sickle Cell Crisis (Pain Crisis)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-crisis.html" data-sid="126423">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_47"></a> <section id="cat_47_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Related Issues </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section47" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diagnostic-tests/a1c-test-race-ethnicity" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="67072" data-org="NIDDK">A1C Test and Race/Ethnicity</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-cell-genes.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161907" >Could My Kids Be Born With Sickle Cell Disease Someday?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-cell-genes.html" data-sid="161908">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/blood-disorders/anemia/hemoglobin-c-s-c-and-e-diseases" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="66223" >Hemoglobin C, S-C, and E Diseases</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Merck & Co., Inc.)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/es-us/hogar/trastornos-de-la-sangre/anemia/enfermedades-de-la-hemoglobina-c-s-c-y-e" data-sid="130863">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/understanding-red-blood-cell" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160231" data-org="NHGRI">Understanding the Blood Cell</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.genome.gov/es/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/entender-las-c%C3%A9lulas-sangu%C3%ADneas" data-sid="160230">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/your-mental-health-scd-gene-therapy" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160333" data-org="NHGRI">Your Mental Health and Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapy Participation</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.genome.gov/es/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/salud-mental-y-terapia-g%C3%A9nica-c%C3%A9lulas-falciformes" data-sid="160232">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_46"></a> <section id="cat_46_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Genetics </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section46" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/Genetic-Disorders/Sickle-Cell-Disease" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="34115" data-org="NHGRI">About Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/genetic-counseling.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="40831" >Genetic Counseling (For Parents)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/genetic-counseling.html" data-sid="77554">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/navigating-sickle-cell-disease-gene-therapy" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160229" data-org="NHGRI">Navigating Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapy</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.genome.gov/es/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/proceso-estudios-cl%C3%ADnicos-sobre-la-terapia-g%C3%A9nica" data-sid="160228">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160227" data-org="NHGRI">Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapy Education Project</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/sickle-cell-disease-gene-therapy-FAQ" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160236" data-org="NHGRI">Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapy FAQ</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.genome.gov/es/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/preguntas-frecuentes-terapia-g%C3%A9nica-c%C3%A9lulas-falciformes" data-sid="160235">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/sickle-cell-disease" data-sid="125111" data-org="NLM">Sickle cell disease: MedlinePlus Genetics</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Library of Medicine)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.genome.gov/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/understanding-gene-therapy-approaches" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160234" data-org="NHGRI">Understanding Gene Therapy Approaches</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.genome.gov/es/research-at-nhgri/Projects/Democratizing-Education/entender-los-enfoques-de-la-terapia-g%C3%A9nica" data-sid="160233">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/sickle-cell-trait/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="113271" >What Is Sickle Cell Trait?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</span> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_79"></a> <section id="cat_79_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Statistics and Research </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section79" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/data/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="116458" >Data and Statistics on Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-create-new-viral-vector-improved-gene-therapy-sickle-cell-disease" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="139287" data-org="NHLBI">NIH Researchers Create New Viral Vector for Improved Gene Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</span> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_27"></a> <section id="cat_27_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Clinical Trials </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section27" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?cond=%22Anemia,+Sickle+Cell%22&aggFilters=status:not%20rec" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="27210" data-org="NIH">ClinicalTrials.gov: Anemia, Sickle Cell</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Institutes of Health)</span> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_59"></a> <section id="cat_59_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Journal Articles <span class="subheading">References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)</span> </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section59" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39414860" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161007" >Article: Zinc finger nuclease-mediated gene editing in hematopoietic stem cells results in...</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39028356" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161007" >Article: Safety and efficacy of L-Glutamine in reducing the frequency of acute...</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38954844" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161007" >Article: Prophylactic exchange transfusion in sickle cell disease pregnancy: a TAPS2 feasibility...</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Anemia%2C+Sickle+Cell%22%5Bmajr%3Anoexp%5D+AND+humans%5Bmh%5D+AND+english%5Bla%5D+AND+%22last+1+Year%22+%5Bedat%5D+AND+%28patient+education+handout%5Bpt%5D+OR+guideline%5Bpt%5D+OR+clinical+trial%5Bpt%5D%29++NOT+%28letter%5Bpt%5D+OR+case+reports%5Bpt%5D+OR+editorial%5Bpt%5D+OR+comment%5Bpt%5D%29+AND+free+full+text%5Bsb%5D+" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="161007" >Sickle Cell Disease -- see more articles</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_83"></a> <section id="cat_83_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Find an Expert </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section83" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://findageneticcounselor.nsgc.org" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="30491" >Find a Genetic Counselor</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (National Society of Genetic Counselors)</span> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="243" data-org="NHLBI">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.sicklecelldisease.org/" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="19887" >Sickle Cell Disease Association of America</a> <span class="desc-text"> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_8"></a> <section id="cat_8_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Children </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section8" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/09/dr-allison-king-sickle-cell-disease-learning" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="146227" data-org="NIH">Dr. Allison King on Sickle Cell Disease and Learning</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (National Institutes of Health)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://salud.nih.gov/recursos-de-salud/nih-noticias-de-salud/allison-king-habla-sobre-la-enfermedad-de-celulas" data-sid="158520">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/hydroxyurea.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="156800" >Hydroxyurea for People with Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/hydroxyurea.html" data-sid="158521">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/sickle-cell.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="19941" >Sickle Cell Disease (For Kids)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/kids/sickle-cell.html" data-sid="158522">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sickle-cell-anemia.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="19943" >Sickle Cell Disease (For Parents)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/parents/sickle-cell-anemia.html" data-sid="126425">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/blog/understanding-sickle-cell-disease-and-its-impact-your-baby" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="5186" >Understanding sickle cell disease and its impact on your baby</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (March of Dimes Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://nacersano.marchofdimes.org/complicaciones/anemia-falciforme.aspx" data-sid="5315">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_24"></a> <section id="cat_24_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Teenagers </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section24" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/crizanlizumab.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="157089" >Crizanlizumab for People With Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/crizanlizumab.html" data-sid="158523">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-cell-trait-altitude.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="158652" >I Have Sickle Cell Trait: Is It Safe to Fly or Travel to the Mountains?</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-cell-trait-altitude.html" data-sid="158653">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/center/sickle-cell-treatment.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="160278" >Prevent Problems from Sickle Cell Disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="20" height="16" alt="Video" title="Video" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/videocamera.gif" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/center/sickle-cell-treatment.html" data-sid="160339">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-cell-anemia.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="32131" >Sickle Cell Disease (For Teens)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <img width="20" height="16" alt="Video" title="Video" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/videocamera.gif" class="imgdesc"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-cell-anemia.html" data-sid="74504">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-cell-trait-healthy.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="158654" >Sickle Cell Trait: 3 Ways to Stay Healthy</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-cell-trait-healthy.html" data-sid="158655">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sickle-cell-trait-problems.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="158656" >Sickle Cell Trait: 5 Problems to Know about</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/sickle-cell-trait-problems.html" data-sid="158657">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/care-sickle-cell.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="153615" >Transitioning Your Medical Care: Sickle Cell Disease (For Teens)</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Nemours Foundation)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/care-sickle-cell.html" data-sid="160338">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_7"></a> <section id="cat_7_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Women </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section7" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/communication-resources/women-with-sickle-cell-disease-and-preconception-care.html" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="159465" >Women with Sickle Cell Disease and Preconception Care</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)</span> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <a name="cat_69"></a> <section id="cat_69_section"> <div class="section"> <div class="section-header"> <div class="section-title"> <h2>Patient Handouts </h2> </div> <div class="section-button"> <button title="Expand/Collapse section" role="button" aria-controls="section" aria-pressed="true" type="submit"> <span class="icon icon-section-action"></span> </button> </div> <div aria-live="polite" class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen"></div> </div> <div id="section69" class="section-body"> <ul class="bulletlist"> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003639.htm" data-sid="83333" >Hemoglobin electrophoresis</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Medical Encyclopedia)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/003639.htm" data-sid="84512">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000527.htm" data-sid="81203" >Sickle cell disease</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Medical Encyclopedia)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/000527.htm" data-sid="52730">Spanish</a> </span> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003666.htm" data-sid="83585" >Sickle cell test</a> <span class="desc-text"> <span class="orgs"> (Medical Encyclopedia)</span> </span> <span class="also-lang"> Also in <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/003666.htm" data-sid="52731">Spanish</a> </span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> </div> <div class="side"> <aside> <section id="ht-img-section"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header hide-offscreen"> <h2>Topic Image</h2> </div> <div class="section-body no-header"> <img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Sickle_Cell_Topic.jpg" title="Sickle Cell Disease" alt="Sickle Cell Disease" /> </div> </div> </section> <section id="encyclopedia-box"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header red"> <h2>MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA</h2> </div> <div id="more_encyclopedia" class="section-body"> <ul> <li><a data-sid="83333" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003639.htm">Hemoglobin electrophoresis</a></li> <li><a data-sid="80110" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003363.htm">Hemoglobinuria test</a></li> <li><a data-sid="81203" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000527.htm">Sickle cell disease</a></li> <li><a data-sid="83585" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003666.htm">Sickle cell test</a></li> <li><a data-sid="83284" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003489.htm">Total iron binding capacity</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <section id="primary-institute-section"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header"> <h2>National Institutes of Health</h2> </div> <div class="section-body"> The primary NIH organization for research on <span class="italic">Sickle Cell Disease</span> is the <a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/" target="TheNewWin">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a> </div> </div> </section> <section id="magazine-box"> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header"> <h2>NIH MedlinePlus Magazine</h2> </div> <div id="more_magazine" class="section-body"> <ul> <li><a data-sid="158206" href="https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/tesha-samuels-advocates-for-others-after-living-with-sickle-cell-disease" target="_blank">Tesha Samuels Advocates for Others After Living with Sickle Cell Disease</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> <section> <div class="side-section"> <div class="section-header hide-offscreen"> <h2>Disclaimers</h2> </div> <div class="section-body no-header"> MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/disclaimers.html">disclaimer</a> about external links and our <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/criteria.html">quality guidelines</a>. </div> </div> </section> </aside> </div> <div class="page-action-bottom"> <div class="page-actions"></div> </div> </article> </div> <p>The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.</p> <div id="citation-how-to"> <button><span>Learn how to cite this page</span></button> </div> </div> <footer> <div id="mplus-footer"> <div class="footer1"> <ul class="secondarynav"> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=https%3A//medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" target="_blank"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li> </ul> <ul class="follow-footer"> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html" class="follow-item">Subscribe to RSS<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/feed.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="RSS" title="RSS"></a> </li> <li> <span class="follow-label">Follow us</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/medlineplus" class="follow-item" target="_blank"> <img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_twitter.png" class="follow-icon" alt="X" title="X"> </a> <a href="https://facebook.com/Mplus.gov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"> <img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_fb.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook"> </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mplusgov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"> <img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram"> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/social-media-toolkit/" class="social-media-toolkit-item">Social Media Toolkit<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_social_media_toolkit.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="Social Media Toolkit" title="Social Media Toolkit"></a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="footer2"> <ul> <li><a href=" https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html" target='_blank'>NLM Web Policies</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/" >Copyright</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/">Guidelines for Links</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/plugins.html">Viewers & Players</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" target="_blank">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/">MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs</a></li> <li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/">For Developers</a></li> </ul> <div class="address"> <a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a> <span>8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894</span> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a> <a href="https://www.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a> </div> <div class="date"> <span id="lastupdate">Last updated September 6, 2024</span> </div> <div class="return-top"><a href="#top" title="Return to top"><img class="return-top-icon" alt="Return to top" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/return-top.png"></a></div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery-3.6.0.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-frontend-controls-new.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-share.js?id=1112022" type="text/javascript"></script>  <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/control.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type='application/ld+json'> [ { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "Sickle Cell Disease", "description": "Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited disorders that affect your red blood cells. It can cause pain, anemia, and other problems. Learn about treatments.", "mainContentOfPage": "What is sickle cell disease (SCD)?\u000ASickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. If you have SCD, there is a problem with your hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. With SCD, the hemoglobin forms into stiff rods within the red blood cells. This changes the shape of the red blood cells. The cells are supposed to be disc\u002Dshaped, but instead they are crescent, or sickle, shaped. \u000A\u000AThe sickle\u002Dshaped cells are not flexible and cannot change shape easily. Many of them burst apart as they move through your blood vessels. The sickle cells usually only last 10 to 20 days, instead of the normal 90 to 120 days. Your body may have trouble making enough new cells to replace the ones that you lost. Because of this, you may not have enough red blood cells. This is a condition called anemia, and it can make you feel tired.\u000A\u000AThe sickle\u002Dshaped cells can also stick to vessel walls, causing a blockage that slows or stops the flow of blood. When this happens, oxygen can\u0027t reach nearby tissues. The lack of oxygen can cause attacks of sudden, severe pain, called pain crises. These attacks can occur without warning. If you get one, you might need to go to the hospital for treatment.\u000A\u000AWhat causes sickle cell disease (SCD)?\u000ASCD is caused by a variant (change) in a gene that has instructions for your body to make one part of the hemoglobin. This changed gene is sometimes called a sickle cell gene. People with SCD are born with two sickle cell genes, one from each parent. \u000A\u000AIf you are born with one sickle cell gene, it\u0027s called sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait are generally healthy, but they can pass the defective gene on to their children. \u000A\u000AWho is more likely to have sickle cell disease (SCD)?\u000AIn the United States, most of the people with SCD are African Americans:\u000AAbout 1 in 13 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell trait\u000AAbout 1 in every 365 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell disease\u000A\u000A\u000ASCD also affects some people who come from Hispanic, southern European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Indian backgrounds.\u000A\u000AWhat are the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD)?\u000APeople with SCD start to have signs of the disease during the first year of life, usually around 5 or 6 months of age. Early symptoms of SCD may include:\u000APainful swelling of the hands and feet\u000AFatigue or fussiness from anemia\u000AA yellowish color of the skin (jaundice) or the whites of the eyes (icterus)\u000A\u000A\u000AThe effects of SCD vary from person to person and can change over time. Most of the signs and symptoms of SCD are related to complications of the disease. They may include severe pain, anemia, organ damage, and infections.\u000A\u000AHow is sickle cell disease (SCD) diagnosed?\u000AA blood test can show if you have SCD or sickle cell trait. Genetic tests can tell if you have one or two copies of the sickle cell gene. Genetic tests can help confirm an SCD diagnosis if the results from blood tests are not clear. \u000A\u000AAll states now test newborns for SCD (as well as many other treatable conditions) as part of their screening programs. These programs help find the conditions early, so treatment can be started right away.\u000A\u000AHealth care providers can also diagnose SCD before a baby is born. That test uses a sample of amniotic fluid (the liquid in the sac surrounding the baby) or tissue taken from the placenta (the organ that brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby).\u000A\u000APeople who are thinking about having children can have the test to find out how likely it is that their children will have SCD.\u000A\u000AWhat are the treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD)?\u000AThere are many ways to manage sickle cell disease. Your medical team will probably include a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood diseases. You will work with your medical team to set up a treatment plan. Possible treatment options may include:\u000A\u000ATreatments that can help relieve symptoms and lessen complications, including:\u000A \u000A Hydroxyurea, a medicine to reduce sickling of red blood cells. This can help prevent serious symptoms of sickle cell disease. This medicine can be used in adults and in children as young as 9 months old. But this medicine is not safe during pregnancy. \u000A Voxelotor, another medicine to prevent the sickling of red blood cells. It can be used in adults and children ages 4 years and older.\u000A Pain relievers for acute or chronic pain.\u000A Antibiotics to try to prevent infections in younger children.\u000A Blood transfusions for severe anemia. If you have had some serious complications, such as a stroke, you may have transfusions to prevent more complications.\u000A Other treatments for specific complications, such as medicines to lower blood pressure and vitamins to treat a vitamin deficiency.\u000A \u000A\u000ABone marrow or stem cell transplantation, which can cure SCD. Because these transplants are risky and can have serious side effects, they are usually only used in children with severe SCD. For the transplant to work, the bone marrow must be a close match. Usually, the best donor is a brother or sister. \u000AGene therapies to treat SCD in people who are 12 years and older and have had repeated sickle cell crises. These new therapies involve taking some of your blood stem cells and either adding new DNA to them or changing their existing DNA. Then these cells are given back to you, and they can make a type of hemoglobin that is healthy. This can reduce the complications of SCD, including the SCD crises.\u000A \u000A\u000AComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) seems to help some people deal with pain caused by SCD. These types of CAM may lower your pain, especially if it is not well managed with medicines::\u000A\u000ACognitive behavioral therapy (a type of counseling)\u000AAcupuncture\u000AExercise or movement programs, such as yoga\u000AMassage\u000AMeditation and mindfulness practices\u000AVirtual reality, a computer\u002Dgenerated 3D environment you can see with special goggles\u000A\u000A\u000AIt\u0027s also important to take steps to keep yourself as healthy as possible:\u000A\u000AGet regular medical care\u000AGet your routine vaccinations\u000ALive a healthy lifestyle\u000AAvoid situations that may set off a pain crisis\u000A\u000A\u000ANIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute", "primaryImageOfPage": { "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "https://medlineplus.gov/images/Sickle_Cell_Topic.jpg" }, "url": "https://medlineplus.gov/sicklecelldisease.html" } ] </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Sickle Cell Disease | Sickle Cell Anemia | MedlinePlus