Sickle Cell Disease, the Trait, and How it’s Passed

An estimated two million Americans carry the Sickle Cell Trait in their genes; and I don’t mean in their blue jeans, but their one-of-a-kind designer DNA genes. For the most part, people who have the Sickle Cell gene (also called Sickle Cell Trait) live a healthy life with little or no complications. However, the more severe symptoms of Sickle Cell Disease can occur under the right, or rather, wrong conditions. Some things that can trigger Sickle Cell symptoms in people who have only the Trait are, alcohol or drug abuse, sudden or extreme elevation changes, dehydration, and prolonged strenuous physical activities. So, if you have the Trait or the Disease, I wouldn’t recommend you go skydiving over the North Pole while drunk anytime soon.

So how do children inherit Sickle Cell from their parents? If the birth mother and father both have the Trait, there’s a 25% chance, with each pregnancy, that their child will be born with the Disease. If one parent has the Disease while the other has the Trait, there’s a 50% chance, with each pregnancy, that the child will be born with Disease and a 50% chance it will be born with the Trait. If one parent has the Disease while the other parent is healthy, all of their children will inherit the Trait. Not like it’s complicated or anything..