Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease that causes abnormal red
blood cells. Africans, African Americans, and East Indians have
a high risk of the disease. This is also true for people from
the Mediterranean (Italian or Greek), Middle East, Caribbean,
and Central or South America. In the US, 1 of every 12 African-
American newborns carries the sickle cell trait in his or her
genes. About 1 of every 500 African American newborns has this
lifelong disease. Sickle cell anemia is inherited. If a baby's
parents have the disease or both are carriers, the baby may
inherit the sickle cell genes. If a child inherits a sickle cell
gene from each parent, the child has 2 genes and will have
sickle cell anemia. If the child inherits the gene from just one
parent, the child will not have the disease. However, he or she
is a carrier and could pass the gene to his or her children. The
red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your
body. A chemical in the red blood cells called hemoglobin helps
the cells carry