Sickle Cell Disease - Topic Overview

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder. That means it’s passed down through families. You’re born with SCD. It is not something you catch or develop later in life. The disease gets its name because when you have SCD, your red blood cells look like a sickle, which is a C-shaped farm tool. Red blood cells contain a molecule called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body. In a healthy person, hemoglobin is smooth, round, and flexible. That allows red blood cells to glide easily through your bloodstream. But if you have SCD, the hemoglobin’s shape is abnormal.   Abstract source