Prevention

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that is not preventable. But a couple may meet with a genetic counselor before becoming pregnant to learn more about their chances of having a child with sickle cell disease. People whose ancestors were from Africa, India, the Middle East, the Mediterranean (Turkey, Italy, Greece), and some Latin American countries are more likely to inherit the gene that can cause sickle cell disease. In the United States, the disease mainly affects African Americans (1 out of 650) and Latin Americans (1 out of 1,000 to 1,400).⁴