Sickle Cell Trait is an easily manageable genetic condition

Most people with Sickle Cell Trait do not have any symptoms and go through life without realizing they can pass this trait on to their children.

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What is Sickle Cell Trait?

And what you need to know about it

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Are there Health Problems?

Most people with SCT do not even know they have it, but in some extreme conditions people with SCT can have serious health problems. These include:

Who has Sickle Cell Trait?

1 in 12 African Americans and 1 in 100 Latinos have SCT or are carriers (meaning they carry the abnormal hemoglobin gene). People from Panama, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, India and Saudi Arabia are also more likely to have SCT, although anyone can have it.

Low blood oxygen, or hypoxemia Overheating (known as hyperthermia) Dehydration, or not enough water Avoid high altitudes or extreme changes in pressure such as skydiving or scuba diving, which can lead to hypoxemia Dont overexert yourself while exercising. Make sure to slowly build up your endurance and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and cool.

Staying healthy with SCT is pretty simple:

How did you get SCT?

Sickle cell trait is an inherited condition, so you can only get it from one of your parents. This also means that if you have sickle cell trait, there is a 50% chance with each pregnancy that you will pass the trait on to your child. If you and your partner both have SCT, there is a 25% chance that you will both pass on your abnormal gene and that your child will have Sickle Cell Disease, a serious blood disorder. Testing for SCT can be done with a simple blood draw. If you have any concerns or would like to find out if you or your partner have SCT, contact a genetic counselor.

What is Sickle Cell Trait?

Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) is caused by a change on one of your hemoglobin genes. These genes make proteins that carry oxygen through your body in red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells are round and easily pass through the veins and arteries in your body. If you have one normal and one abnormal copy of the hemoglobin gene, your cells will make both normal and abnormal hemoglobin. There is enough normal hemoglobin that your red blood cells are round and healthy. People with two abnormal copies of the hemoglobin gene, however, cannot make any healthy hemoglobin, so their red blood cells become moon or sickle shaped. This is known as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

If you have any questions or concerns about Sickle Cell Trait, go speak with a genetic counselor. Almost two million Americans have SCT, including some professional athletes. While people with SCT are healthy, if you have dark or bloody urine, a yellowish tint in your skin or the whites of your eyes , extreme pain, pale skin or sudden dizziness or shortness of breath, go see your doctor immediately.

For more information

Center for Disease Control National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital

Can Sickle Cell Trait turn into Sickle Cell Disease?

No. Sickle Cell Trait is caused by changes in your genes, so if you are born with one healthy copy, you will have it for your whole life.