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Can sickle cell anemia be detected before birth?

April 26, 2017African American anemia birth CELL detected Hemoglobin Mediterranean red blood cells Sickle

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Can sickle cell anemia be detected before birth?

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Yes. Prenatal testing can detect sickle cell diseases. As early as the first trimester, doctors can take a sample of placental tissue (chorionic villus sampling, or CVS) to detect whether a baby has the genes that would lead to sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait. After 17 weeks, amniocentesis can be used to test the amniotic fluid.