If you have sickle cell trait (sickle trait), you are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that makes blood red and carries oxygen from the lungs to all the body. Your parents’ genes control the type of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. People with sickle cell trait have one sickle cell hemoglobin gene (Hb S) and one normal hemoglobin gene (HbA). Sickle trait is not sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait will not turn into sickle cell disease in the future. People with sickle trait have normal physical appearances and show normal results in blood tests.
Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It does not cause anemia (low hemoglobin levels), pain, or shortening of your life. If you have sickle cell trait and notice other symptoms or issues, see your doctor. They can check for other medical problems. Healthcare providers should verify if a person has sickle cell trait. Some people have been told they have sickle cell trait when they have a type of sickle cell disease.
Knowing if you have sickle cell trait is important because it makes you at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease if your partner also has sickle cell trait or disease. Also, you may have a child with sickle cell disease, if your partner carries a gene for hemoglobin C beta thalassemia or other hemoglobins.
Before having children, check if your partner has a trait that increases the risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Simple blood tests are available to determine your risks. A complete blood count and hemoglobin typing can show if you are at risk.
There are some rare complications with sickle cell trait. These are uncommon so other causes of the problem should be considered before blaming it on sickle cell trait. Blood in the urine (hematuria) is the most common. Blood in your urine should always be checked out by a healthcare provider because causes other than trait are more likely. Other causes include medical issues like infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, polyps, tumors, or bleeding disorders. Individuals who inherit a sickle gene are at risk for a very rare type of cancer of the kidney so finding the cause of blood in the urine is important.
Rare Complications Associated with Sickle Cell Trait
Very low oxygen, dehydration, or exercising to exhaustion, especially at high altitude, can cause complications such as damage to the spleen and even death. These complications are rare. There are only a few case reports in medical journals.
People with sickle trait are at higher risk of serious problems when they push their bodies to the extreme during exercise. Breakdown of muscles with overexertion and heat stroke can be more severe with sickle trait and more often causes death. The military and some athletics programs have recorded more complications and deaths during intense basic training and athletic practices in high temperatures and humidity. The coaches of the National Collegiate Athletic Association highlighted this issue after a few athletes with sickle trait died during rigorous football practice. Very hot and humid conditions also cause problems, even death, in people without sickle trait. However, the risk is higher for people with sickle trait. The U.S. military modified military training to prevent this type of death among military recruits, which made basic training safer for all recruits with or without sickle trait.
The NCAA now tests all athletes participating in all sports for sickle trait. People with sickle trait can participate in competitive sports but they should start exercise programs early with progressive increase in intensity; stay hydrated before, during and after practice; avoid intense workouts in hot, humid conditions; and stop at once if they experience symptoms of heat exhaustion. Emergency care should be close at hand.
Splenic infarction occurs in some individuals with sickle cell trait exercising at high altitudes. This is more common in Caucasians with sickle cell trait who are dehydrated and exercise vigorously at high altitude. It is also more common in individuals who reside at sea level and who have recently arrived at high altitude.
There can be complications from sickle cell trait when there is trauma to the eye. These include bleeding and increased pressure. Eye trauma should be evaluated by an eye doctor with experience in sickle cell disease and trait.
Patients and families should watch for the following conditions that need an urgent medical evaluation:
• Fever of 101° F or higher
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Increasing tiredness
• Abdominal swelling
• Unusual headache
• Any sudden weakness or loss of feeling
• Pain that will not go away with home treatment
• Priapism (painful erection that will not go down)
• Sudden vision change
If you have sickle cell trait (sickle trait), you are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that makes blood red and carries oxygen from the lungs to all the body. Your parents’ genes control the type of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. People with sickle cell trait have one sickle cell hemoglobin gene (Hb S) and one normal hemoglobin gene (HbA). Sickle trait is not sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait will not turn into sickle cell disease in the future. People with sickle trait have normal physical appearances and show normal results in blood tests.
Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It does not cause anemia (low hemoglobin levels), pain, or shortening of your life. If you have sickle cell trait and notice other symptoms or issues, see your doctor. They can check for other medical problems. Healthcare providers should verify if a person has sickle cell trait. Some people have been told they have sickle cell trait when they have a type of sickle cell disease.
Knowing if you have sickle cell trait is important because it makes you at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease if your partner also has sickle cell trait or disease. Also, you may have a child with sickle cell disease, if your partner carries a gene for hemoglobin C beta thalassemia or other hemoglobins.
Before having children, check if your partner has a trait that increases the risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Simple blood tests are available to determine your risks. A complete blood count and hemoglobin typing can show if you are at risk.
There are some rare complications with sickle cell trait. These are uncommon so other causes of the problem should be considered before blaming it on sickle cell trait. Blood in the urine (hematuria) is the most common. Blood in your urine should always be checked out by a healthcare provider because causes other than trait are more likely. Other causes include medical issues like infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, polyps, tumors, or bleeding disorders. Individuals who inherit a sickle gene are at risk for a very rare type of cancer of the kidney so finding the cause of blood in the urine is important.
Rare Complications Associated with Sickle Cell Trait
Very low oxygen, dehydration, or exercising to exhaustion, especially at high altitude, can cause complications such as damage to the spleen and even death. These complications are rare. There are only a few case reports in medical journals.
People with sickle trait are at higher risk of serious problems when they push their bodies to the extreme during exercise. Breakdown of muscles with overexertion and heat stroke can be more severe with sickle trait and more often causes death. The military and some athletics programs have recorded more complications and deaths during intense basic training and athletic practices in high temperatures and humidity. The coaches of the National Collegiate Athletic Association highlighted this issue after a few athletes with sickle trait died during rigorous football practice. Very hot and humid conditions also cause problems, even death, in people without sickle trait. However, the risk is higher for people with sickle trait. The U.S. military modified military training to prevent this type of death among military recruits, which made basic training safer for all recruits with or without sickle trait.
The NCAA now tests all athletes participating in all sports for sickle trait. People with sickle trait can participate in competitive sports but they should start exercise programs early with progressive increase in intensity; stay hydrated before, during and after practice; avoid intense workouts in hot, humid conditions; and stop at once if they experience symptoms of heat exhaustion. Emergency care should be close at hand.
Splenic infarction occurs in some individuals with sickle cell trait exercising at high altitudes. This is more common in Caucasians with sickle cell trait who are dehydrated and exercise vigorously at high altitude. It is also more common in individuals who reside at sea level and who have recently arrived at high altitude.
There can be complications from sickle cell trait when there is trauma to the eye. These include bleeding and increased pressure. Eye trauma should be evaluated by an eye doctor with experience in sickle cell disease and trait.
Patients and families should watch for the following conditions that need an urgent medical evaluation:
• Fever of 101° F or higher
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Increasing tiredness
• Abdominal swelling
• Unusual headache
• Any sudden weakness or loss of feeling
• Pain that will not go away with home treatment
• Priapism (painful erection that will not go down)
• Sudden vision change
If you have sickle cell trait (sickle trait), you are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that makes blood red and carries oxygen from the lungs to all the body. Your parents’ genes control the type of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. People with sickle cell trait have one sickle cell hemoglobin gene (Hb S) and one normal hemoglobin gene (HbA). Sickle trait is not sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait will not turn into sickle cell disease in the future. People with sickle trait have normal physical appearances and show normal results in blood tests.
Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It does not cause anemia (low hemoglobin levels), pain, or shortening of your life. If you have sickle cell trait and notice other symptoms or issues, see your doctor. They can check for other medical problems. Healthcare providers should verify if a person has sickle cell trait. Some people have been told they have sickle cell trait when they have a type of sickle cell disease.
Knowing if you have sickle cell trait is important because it makes you at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease if your partner also has sickle cell trait or disease. Also, you may have a child with sickle cell disease, if your partner carries a gene for hemoglobin C beta thalassemia or other hemoglobins.
Before having children, check if your partner has a trait that increases the risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Simple blood tests are available to determine your risks. A complete blood count and hemoglobin typing can show if you are at risk.
There are some rare complications with sickle cell trait. These are uncommon so other causes of the problem should be considered before blaming it on sickle cell trait. Blood in the urine (hematuria) is the most common. Blood in your urine should always be checked out by a healthcare provider because causes other than trait are more likely. Other causes include medical issues like infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, polyps, tumors, or bleeding disorders. Individuals who inherit a sickle gene are at risk for a very rare type of cancer of the kidney so finding the cause of blood in the urine is important.
Rare Complications Associated with Sickle Cell Trait
Very low oxygen, dehydration, or exercising to exhaustion, especially at high altitude, can cause complications such as damage to the spleen and even death. These complications are rare. There are only a few case reports in medical journals.
People with sickle trait are at higher risk of serious problems when they push their bodies to the extreme during exercise. Breakdown of muscles with overexertion and heat stroke can be more severe with sickle trait and more often causes death. The military and some athletics programs have recorded more complications and deaths during intense basic training and athletic practices in high temperatures and humidity. The coaches of the National Collegiate Athletic Association highlighted this issue after a few athletes with sickle trait died during rigorous football practice. Very hot and humid conditions also cause problems, even death, in people without sickle trait. However, the risk is higher for people with sickle trait. The U.S. military modified military training to prevent this type of death among military recruits, which made basic training safer for all recruits with or without sickle trait.
The NCAA now tests all athletes participating in all sports for sickle trait. People with sickle trait can participate in competitive sports but they should start exercise programs early with progressive increase in intensity; stay hydrated before, during and after practice; avoid intense workouts in hot, humid conditions; and stop at once if they experience symptoms of heat exhaustion. Emergency care should be close at hand.
Splenic infarction occurs in some individuals with sickle cell trait exercising at high altitudes. This is more common in Caucasians with sickle cell trait who are dehydrated and exercise vigorously at high altitude. It is also more common in individuals who reside at sea level and who have recently arrived at high altitude.
There can be complications from sickle cell trait when there is trauma to the eye. These include bleeding and increased pressure. Eye trauma should be evaluated by an eye doctor with experience in sickle cell disease and trait.
Patients and families should watch for the following conditions that need an urgent medical evaluation:
• Fever of 101° F or higher
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Increasing tiredness
• Abdominal swelling
• Unusual headache
• Any sudden weakness or loss of feeling
• Pain that will not go away with home treatment
• Priapism (painful erection that will not go down)
• Sudden vision change