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Sickle cell trait
My partner is having sickle cell trait HbAS with HbS 58%, he is 28yrs old and has never gone through blood transfusion, never had pain crisis and never was in any medication until last year. He had an accident a year ago and his knee tissue got ruptured so doctor kept him on hydroxyurea for precautionary measure. We are planning to get married and have kids. What are the complications that can happen in the future related to his health ? And is there any medication or treatment through which we can protect our child from inheriting the traits ?
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Everyone has two copies of the haemoglobin gene in every cell in their body (apart from eggs and sperm). They get one from their mother and one from their father. When eggs and sperm are made, only one of the two genes goes into each egg or sperm cell. This is so that when the egg and sperm come together to make a new baby this new person has two genes in every cell in their body as well. The genes the baby gets will therefore depend on the genes carried in its parents. Sickle Cell Anaemia is called a recessive condition because you must have two copies of the sickle haemoglobin gene to have the disorder. Sickle haemoglobin is often shortened to S or HbS. If you have only one copy of the sickle haemoglobin along with one copy of the more usual haemoglobin (A or HbA) you are said to have Sickle Cell Trait. This is not an illness but means that you “carry” the gene and can pass it on to you children. If your partner also has Sickle Cell Trait or Sickle Cell Anaemia your children could get Sickle Cell Anaemia. If you know the types of haemoglobin you and your partner have, you will know the different possible combinations of genes that your baby could inherit. Only when both parents are HbAA and/or HbSS will all your children inherit the same combination of genes so you can be sure whether your child will be affected or not. If one parent has sickle cell trait (HbAS) (like in ur case) and the other does not carry the sickle haemoglobin at all (HbAA) then none of the children will have sickle cell anaemia. There is a one in two (50%) chance that any given child will get one copy of the HbS gene and therefore have the sickle cell trait. It is equally likely that any given child will get two HbA genes and be completely unaffected. So don’t worry. Relax
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.