Complications Associated With Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a severe hereditary disease of the red blood cells. Red blood cells in healthy individuals are round in shape, while the red blood cells in individuals with sickle cell anemia are irregularly shaped. This happens due to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells that becomes defective. The defective hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S, ends up taking the place of healthy hemoglobin, called hemoglobin A. As a result, over time the red blood cells become shaped like crescent moons instead of round. Sickle cells are notorious for clogging blood vessels and cutting off the supply of oxygen to organs and other tissues. Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease, which means it is passed through genes from parent to child when both parents have the sickle cell trait.