One study showed an 84 percent event-free survival rate with perfect donors. 9 One child without a matching sibling received stem cells from the umbilical cord blood of an unrelated donor and was declared free of sickle cell disease after one year. Use of umbilical cord stem cells should open the door for children who do not have matched siblings to receive this transplant in the future. Nitric oxide slows and even reverses sickling. Administration of fatty fish oils decreases pain events.
ACE inhibitors help prevent renal damage.
A couple, both carriers of the sickle cell gene, achieved a normal pregnancy through in vitro fertilization. The woman had undergone two previous abortions for SCA-positive fetuses. Seven embryos were tested for SCA and three normal ones were transferred to the uterus on the fourth day after oocyte retrieval. The woman delivered healthy twins. The pregnancy demonstrated this technique can be used for carrier couples who desire a healthy infant but wish to avoid the difficult decision of aborting an affected fetus.