Sickle Cell Trait

What Is Sickle Cell Trait?

Sickle cell trait is a blood condition that gets passed down through some families in their genes. It can’t turn into sickle cell disease and it doesn’t usually cause health problems.

A person has sickle cell trait when they inherit a copy of the “sickle cell gene” from one of their parents. With only 1 copy of the sickle cell gene, they don’t have sickle cell disease, but they can pass a copy of the gene to their children. A person with sickle cell trait is also called a “carrier.”

How Do Sickle Cell Trait and Sickle Cell Disease Differ?

Sickle cell trait doesn’t usually cause health problems. Problems are rare and usually can be prevented.

Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder where red blood cells are curved instead of round. The curved cells can get stuck in and block small blood vessels. Blood can't flow normally, which can lead to pain and organ damage. People with sickle cell disease need lifelong medical care.

How Does Someone Get Sickle Cell Trait?

To understand how someone gets sickle cell trait, it helps to know about the beta-globin gene.

Everybody has 2 copies of the beta-globin gene that they inherit, one from each parent. Beta-globin genes tell the body how to make hemoglobin (HEE-muh-glow-bin), a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. One type of beta-globin gene that someone can inherit is called the sickle beta-globin gene (or “sickle cell gene,” for short).