Like many genetic diseases, sickle cell disease is recessive. This means that you need to inherit two copies of the mutant allele, one from each parent, in order to develop the disease. If you inherit only one copy, you will not be affected in any noticeable way—although you will be a carrier, able to pass the gene to your children, and they may develop the disease if the other parent also gives them a bad copy. If two carriers of SCD procreate, approximately one-fourth of their children will develop the disease, even though both parents appear to be healthy. For this reason, recessive traits
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