Sickle cell disease other genetic diseases) among African Americans compared to West Africans. Another factor that limits the spread of sickle cell genes in North America is the relative absence of polygamy, which allows affected males to continue to produce many children with multiple partners. The loss of red blood cell elasticity is central to the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. Normal red blood cells are quite elastic, which allows the cells to deform to pass through capillaries. In sickle cell disease, low oxygen tension promotes red blood cell sickling and repeated episodes of sickling damage the cell membrane and decrease the cell's
Neonatal red cell transfusion Neonatal red cell transfusion Neonates are defined as babies up to 28 days after birth. Most extremely preterm babies (less than 28 weeks) require at least one red cell transfusion, this is partly due to the amount of blood removed with blood samples compared to the baby's total blood volume (iatrogenic anemia) and partly due to anemia of prematurity. Most transfusions are given as small volume top-up transfusions to increase the baby's hemoglobin above a certain pre-defined level, or because the baby is unwell due to the anemia. Possible side-effects of anemia in babies can be poor growth, lethargy and