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Women with sickle cell disease often face unique challenges, such as problems during pregnancy and other serious health problems.

If you or your child has sickle cell disease, you should learn as much as you can about the disease, including how to prevent and manage complications and take care of your mental health.

In the United States, most people with sickle cell disease are of African ancestry or identify themselves as black, but the condition is also common in people with a Hispanic background.

A blood and bone marrow transplant is currently the only cure for some patients who have sickle cell disease. The goal of treatment is health maintenance to prevent complications and medicines and treatments to manage complications, including chronic pain.

Your doctor may diagnose sickle cell disease based on the results from tests to confirm the results from prenatal or newborn screening.

People who do not know whether they carry an abnormal hemoglobin gene can ask their doctor to have their blood tested. Couples who are planning to have children and know that they are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease may want to meet with a genetic counselor.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease caused by defects, called mutations, in the beta globin gene that helps make hemoglobin.

When a person has two hemoglobin S genes (hemoglobin SS), the disease is called sickle cell anemia. This is the most common and often most severe type of sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin SC disease and hemoglobin S? thalassemia are two other common types of sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin SD and hemoglobin SE are much less common.

Preconception health is a woman’s health before she becomes pregnant. It means knowing how health conditions and risk factors could affect a woman or her unborn baby if she becomes pregnant.

CDC is working to raise awareness about sickle cell disease. You can help by reading and sharing our resources, and by joining the conversation online.