Causes

• A genetic abnormality in the gene for hemoglobin, which results in the production of sickle hemoglobin.
• When oxygen is released from sickle hemoglobin, it sticks together and forms long rods, which damage and change the shape of the red blood cell. The sickle red blood cells causes the symptoms of sickle cell disease.
• When a child inherits two sickle hemoglobin genes, one from each parent.
• People who inherit only one sickle hemoglobin gene are carriers (sickle cell trait) and do not have anemia or painful sickle cell crises.
• The 11th pair of chromosomes contains a gene responsible for normal hemoglobin production.
• Recessive needs two defective genes for sickle cell.