What is Sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobin disorder  & is transmitted from affected parents to their children. This results in formation of an abnormal hemoglobin which bend red cells into a sickle (crescent) shape.Patients develop serious health problem in form of severe crisis,anemia jaundice,growth retardation,infection,penumonia,malaria which necessiates repeated blood transfusion and hospitalisation.Pregnant mother with SCD have problems both with the mother and child which may lead to death. The average life span of patient is 50 Years .Many patients die in childhood without being diagnosed.