Get Screened to Know Your Sickle Cell Status

What is sickle cell screening? Screening for sickle cell means testing a person’s blood for abnormal types of hemoglobin: • Hemoglobin is a substance inside the red blood cell that delivers oxygen to all organs in the body. • There are many types of altered hemoglobin¸ but people with SCD or SCT make a form of hemoglobin which is abnormal and it is called hemoglobin S or sickle hemoglobin. • A blood test for hemoglobin S or sickle hemoglobin can tell you if your hemoglobin is normal, you have SCD or SCT (carrier status) or if you have another type of abnormal hemoglobin.   Why should I (or my child) get screened for sickle cell? • Getting screened to know your sickle cell status is extremely important at child-bearing age because SCD and SCT can be passed down to children through their parents’ genes. • Knowing if you have sickle cell trait is important because you could have a baby with SCD if your partner also has SCD, SCT or another abnormal hemoglobin gene (like hemoglobin C or Beta-thalassemia).   Abstract source