If there was a 50% chance or higher that your child would have sickle cell, would you risk it and still have children?

Question

•••• while we're on the topic please know/find out if you or your partner carry the sickle cell trait. When both parents carry the trait the odds of your children having actual sickle cell are increased greatly. •••••

Answer

If I knew for sure that my future child could have a 50% chance or greater of having sickle cell disease absolutely not. My son has the trait and when he's old enough I'll be adamant about him finding a partner that doesn't carry the trait or have sickle cell. I understand that you love who you love, but it's an awful disease.

Answer

If I was already pregnant when I found out then yes I'd keep the baby. But if I wasn't pregnant then I'd avoid having kids without genetic testing of sperm/eggs. I'd consider having a designer baby (only selecting against sickle cell) or I'd adopt a child or possibly use a speed donor. I'd have kids just make sure that sickle cell wouldn't be a problem. It'd be the same with any genetic disease for me.

I don't have the trait and to my knowledge neither does my boyfriend so we're lucky that we shouldn't have to worry about that.

Answer

I carry a chromosomal defect that my children have a 50% chance of getting. It is said to be "incompatible with life" and is hereditary. Females are carriers and males show the symptoms. I didn't know I had it until last week after testing. My SO and I have agreed that if we get pregnant again we will test baby early on and if they have the mutation we will unfortunately choose to not proceed with the pregnancy. I don't think anyone can say what they would do in a situation like this if they have never been there. It is not easy in the slightest bit.

Answer

I will never knowingly risk any disease/illness that comes from genes, which is why I'm not having kids. My genetics are awful. All of my life I've been in so much pain from various syndromes and issues. I've stopped counting how many surgeries I've had. You wouldn't know it by looking at me; I look pretty and happy. But at the bottom of my heart, I wish my parents had never tried for me knowing all of the issues we had in our genes. I'll never inflict the way I feel on my child. If need be, I'll adopt or foster.

Answer

My friend's older sister has sickle cell and I think it would have been selfish for her parents to terminate her. She is still living life although I'm sure a difficult one. She's pretty happy and lives her life the best she can.

Answer

I carry the trait & if I was with someone that did I'd regardless probably still have a kid but if they had sickle cell, i'd probably want to adopt.

Answer

My son has sickle cell trait is that the same thing?!!! 😰 his doctor didn't really explain and I forgot to ask at his last appointment. All of these comments have me worried.....

Answer

I hit the wrong one I meant to say no I wouldn't have children.

Answer

I'm not really sure. From my understanding, sickle cell is passed on kind of like cystic fibrosis, where you can be a carrier but not actually have it. To have it, both parents would need to be carriers. I didn't know I was a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis until my daughters newborn screening test came back abnormal and it's because she's a carrier for it. So I got tested, and it turns out I am as well. We were going to get my SO tested before we tried for any other kids, but this baby is a condom baby (so obviously unplanned), so we're still unsure of whether or not my SO is a carrier as well. If we had gotten him tested and he came out positive for being a carrier, we probably wouldn't have tried for any more.

With our daughter being a carrier (and possibly this one, too), we have to let them know when they get older that it's something their SO needs to be tested for before they have kids.

Answer

Wow I was very torn on this one. Sickle cell is a debilitating disease for sure but hemoglobin-C Type has a longer life expectancy, 65 years. Other types are more like 45. It's really tough to say. If you are uncomfortable aborting early on if the fetus is sickle cell, I would probably not have children and opt for adoption.

If there was a 50% chance or higher that your child would have sickle cell, would you risk it and still have children?

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