Question:

Who should you see if you are marrying someone with sickle cell anemia and going to have children?

Answer:

It would be best to talk to a genetic counselor or geneticist because this is their area of expertise. Because sickle cell anemia is an inherited disorder, there is a chance that children could be affected with the disease as well. The counselor or geneticist can provide you with information about this risk as well as about carrier testing for sickle cell trait.

You can ask your doctor for a referral or you can find a genetics clinic near you at the National Society of Genetic Counselors’ Resource website below.

Related Resources:

Genetic Counseling Resources

For more information:

Go to the Inherited Disorders and Birth Defects health topic.