- Health Topics
- Health Education
- The Science
- Grants and Training
- News and Events
- About NHLBI
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
People who do not know whether they carry an abnormal hemoglobin gene can ask their doctor to have their blood tested.
Couples who are planning to have children and know that they are at risk of having a child with sickle cell disease may want to meet with a genetics counselor. A genetic counselor can answer questions about the risk and explain the choices that are available.