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Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes – one from each parent. There are different types of sickle cell diseases and sickle cell anemia is usually the most severe form of the disease.

Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped and look like doughnuts without holes in the center, live about 120 days in the bloodstream, and move easily through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. Red blood cells contain the protein hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color.

In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells are shaped like a C, become hard and sticky, and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood. Sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells, a condition called anemia. Sickle cell anemia can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.