Is sickle cell “trait” the same thing as sickle cell anemia?
No. Carriers of a single sickle cell gene are said to have the sickle cell trait. Usually, they are healthy and very seldom have problems. They cannot later develop sickle cell disease. Is there a cure for sickle cell anemia? There is no cure at this time. There are, however, a number of new methods for reducing the severity and frequency of sickle cell crises. How does sickle cell affect a pregnant patient? Pregnancy has an adverse effect on sickle cell disease. Maternal mortality (death rates) in patients with sickle cell disease is about two percent. Patients may also develop severe anemia and are at high risk for urinary tract infections, which is thought to be one of the causes of premature labor.
