Question
Can sickle cell anemia be passed down to children by one parent?
Answer
If one partner in a couple has sickle cell anemia and the other does not, there is a 50% chance that their children will be completely healthy, while the other 50% may inherit mild symptoms of the condition. However, this is under the assumption that the partner without sickle cell anemia is confirmed to have no genetic predisposition. Even if blood tests show no signs of sickle cell anemia, there may still be a hidden genetic susceptibility. Therefore, both partners should undergo hemoglobin electrophoresis and sickle cell gene testing to ensure an accurate diagnosis.