A Professor of Anatomy, Oladapo Ashiru, has said that with the advent of technology, sickle cell parents could avoid giving birth to children with sickle cell anaemia.
Ashiru in an interview with newsmen, in commemoration of World’s Sickle Cell day, said it was important for everyone to know their genotypes before going into any relationship that would lead to marriage.
He said, “For those who are married and are sickle cell carriers, the danger is that they can have a child with the full blown sickle cell disease. In this age, there should be no reason why they should bring a sickler into the world because there are now technologies available to determine the genetic composition of a baby before the embryo is implanted.
“We now have infrastructure in Nigeria which can allow couples who are sickle cell carriers have a pre-conception determination of their baby to ensure they don’t have a sickle cell baby and we have done that successfully to help a lot of people who are sickle cell carriers to deliver normal children.”
Ashiru said it was key for intending couples to check their genotypes and seek counselling from medical practitioners before going ahead with their marital plan.
The World Sickle Cell Day is a United Nation’s recognised day to raise awareness of sickle cell at national and international level and it is celebrated every June 19.
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