blood disorders
Sickle Cell Disease
Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease
Blood tests Hemoglobin electrophoresis Prenatal testing Doctors recognize anemia, stomach and bone pain, and nausea in a young person with African or Black American ancestry as possible signs of a sickle cell crisis. When doctors suspect sickle cell disease, they do blood tests. Sickle-shaped red blood cells and fragments of destroyed red blood cells can be seen in a blood sample examined under a microscope. Hemoglobin electrophoresis, another blood test, is also done. In electrophoresis, an electrical current is used to separate the different types of hemoglobin and thus detect abnormal hemoglobin. Further testing may be needed, depending on the specific symptoms the person experiences during the crisis. For example, if the person has difficulty breathing or a fever, a chest x-ray may be done. Blood tests are done on relatives of people with the disorder because they also may have sickle cell disease or trait. Discovering the trait in people may be important for family planning, to determine their risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. In the United States, newborns are routinely screened with a blood test. Tests can be done during early pregnancy to screen the fetus and allow Carrier Screening for couples who are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease. Fetal cells obtained through 