Sickle Cell Program
What is a Sickle Cell anemia?
Sickle cell anemia is part of a group of conditions called hemoglobinopathies. Hemoglobinopathies are conditions that occur when a person has abnormal hemoglobin. A person’s blood cells use hemoglobin to carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body.
When a person has sickle cell anemia, his or her blood cells change shape. Instead of being round and flexible, the red blood cells become curved and stiff. These cells resemble the “sickles” that farmers used to use to cut grasses, which is how sickle cell anemia got its name. Instead of passing through the blood easily, sickle cells get “stuck” in the body’s blood vessels. As a result, the body’s tissues don’t get enough oxygen.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited (passed from parent to child) condition. Everyone inherits two copies of the sickle cell gene (one from our mothers and one from our fathers). People with sickle cell disease have two sickle cell gene changes. People with sickle cell trait have one sickle cell gene change.
People with sickle cell disease can have health problems including pain, infections, and damage to the body’s organs. People with sickle cell trait usually do not have any of these health problems, but have a higher chance of having a child with sickle cell disease.
How is newborn screening for Sickle Cell Anemia done?
Indiana state law requires that all babies in Indiana be tested for 44 conditions, including sickle cell anemia. This test must be done before the baby leaves the hospital. Babies born at home must have this test within one week of birth.
Before every baby goes home from the nursery, he or she has a small amount of blood taken from their heel. This is called a heelstick. The blood from the heelstick is used to test for a specific group of conditions, including Sickle Cell Anemia. If anything concerning is found, the Newborn Screening Laboratory contacts the baby’s doctor.
Click here to view the Trait Fact Sheet for Sickle Cell Anemia and other hemoglobinopathies.
For more information about Indiana’s newborn screening, please click here.
For a list of the Sickle Cell clinics and centers in Indiana, please click here.
For a list of the Indiana physicians who treat patients with Sickle Cell Anemia, please click here.
For more information about sickle cell anemia, please click on one of the links below.
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