Sickle cell anemia, also known as sickle cell disorder, is a blood disorder of inherited abnormal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red blood cells that carry oxygen. When the hemoglobin is abnormal, the red blood cells become distorted, otherwise known as sickled. These cells become delicate and are disposed to rupture. When the amount of ruptured red blood cells decrease, anemia occurs. This type of anemia is referred to as sickle cell anemia. These irregular cells can also block blood vessels, resulting in tissue and organ damage.
Sickle cell disorder is one of the more common inherited blood disorders. This type of anemia dominantly affects Africans and African Americans. For a child to inherit this disorder, the sickle cell trait must be inherited