You are born with the sickle cell hemoglobin and it is present for life. Sickle cell is in many nationalities including African Americans, Arabs, Greeks, Italians, Latin Americans and Native Americans. All races should be screened for this hemoglobin at birth. A simple blood test called the hemoglobin electrophoresis can be done by your doctor or local sickle cell foundation. This test will tell if you are a carrier of the sickle cell trait or if you have the disease.
Most States now perform the sickle cell test babies are born.
The simple blood test will detect sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait . Sickle cell trait is a person who carries one sickle hemoglobin producing gene inherited from their parents and one normal hemoglobin gene. This will NOT cause sickle cell disease. Other hemoglobin traits common in the United States are AC and AE traits. There are three common types of sickle cell disease in the United States.