Unless you deeply immersed yourself in a certain situation or by nature, you find yourself in it, you may not truly understand what it takes to handle such inexperienced situation. Perceiving the practical feelings of passing through a certain system is what is being referred to as Experience, you don't inherit or buy it, but you must have a practical feeling of such a system and that is the case of genotype factor, especially if you are AS, AC, or SS and you are leaving in developing countries where the cost of stem cell transplant is high, in this case you will have to consider your genotype each time you meet a new fish out there, often, it is always the first question you will have in mind to ask a new fish before you decide on either to proceed with the relationship or to stop it, especially if age is not on your side.
Genotype Factor
Genotype factor has become one of the parameters to screen a responsible handsome guy or a pious beautiful lady whom one might have wished to spend the rest of one's life with, it might sound weird at times, and one might even get to the extent of blaming scientists for discovering the so called genotype, especially if you have been struggling to get a perfect genotype type that at the same time match your kind of a man or a woman you have been dreaming to spend the rest of your life with.
Genotype factor is not really a disease but a means to determine the hemoglobin gene compositions on the red blood cells. If my secondary level biology has not failed me, the following are the various types of hemoglobin gene present in the red blood cells of human beings: AA, , AS, AC, and SS
Hematologically normal (AA) individuals
Having a genotype with double A (AA) is like being a king or a queen where you can marry that handsome guy or beautiful lady of your choice without having a need to ask your partner of his or her genotype type, if you are with such a lucky genotype, this topic in discussion might not be for you but for others with different genotypes, unless you want to add to your knowledge domain.
hematologically normal (AA) individuals are individuals with nonspecific anemia, they can marry any other types of genotype, be it AS, AC, SS, and even AA. Its combination with the other types of genotype is excellent since it will not produce sickle cell anaemia patient called SS.
The possible combination and their remarks is shown below
AA + AA = AA, AA, AA, AA (Excellent)
AA + AS = AA, AS, AA, AS (Good)
AA + SS = AS, AS, AS, AS (Fair)
AA + AC = AA, AA, AA, AC (Good)
Individual with single cell trait (AS and AC)
AS genotype has a trait of sickle cell, thus, one with such genotype has to be selective when choosing his or her spouse, for instance, AS getting married to someone with AS or AC has 25%(1/4) probability of giving birth to sickle cell anaemia patient at every birth. Like I said earlier, if my secondary level biology has not failed me, the possible combination with their remarks is shown below:
AS + AS = AA, AS, AS, SS, (Very Bad)
AS + AC = AA, AC, AS,SC. (Very Bad also; SC is similar to SS)
If AS individual should marry SS or SC, such a partner has 50% (1/2) of giving birth to sickle cell anaemia patient at every birth, the combination is shown below:
AS + SS = AS, AS, SS, SS, (Bad)
AS + SC = AS, AC, SS, SC, (Bad)
The better option such an individual with AS genotype can go for is to marry someone with AA, this will totally eliminate the chance of having a sickle cell anaemia patient (SS).
AS + AA = AA, AA, AS, AS (Good)
Note: The same can be said of an individual with AC genotype.
Individuals with SC disease (SC), and individuals with sickle cell anemia (SS)
Individuals with both SS and SC genotypes are referred to as sickle cell anaemia patients, such an Individual must also be selective when choosing a spouse, in order to completely avoid producing children of their types, they must make sure they only marry a spouse with AA genotype as the other combinations has a chance of producing SS or SC. The possible combination with their remarks is shown below:
SS + SS = SS, SS, SS, SS (Very Bad)
SS + SC = SS, SC, SS, SC (Very Bad)
SS + AS = AS, SS, AS, SS (Bad)
SS + AA = AS, AS, AS, AS (Fair)
Final Thought!
No doubt having a child with sickle cell anemia is not a thing of joy, it comes with pain, crises, depression, leg ulcer, society stigma, paralysis, stroke and many more, as such, all efforts must be put to avoid marrying a partner that may end up in producing children with sickle cell anemia (SS).
Although, it is not easy to reject a nice proposal that comes with a lot of packages, also the cause of having to stay many years before getting a spouse with genotype compatibility can be painful and cause depression but to hold on till you meet the right man or woman with genotype type that will ensure your combination will produce healthy children is better.
However, the notable cure to sickle cell anemia is found to be costly, especially, to those of us in developing countries where such a cure is not available, stem cell transplant which involves thousands of dollars may be no go area for many people.
Thanks for coming over and reading through my blogs always.
I appreciate you a lot, especially your contributions overtime
Ahaha, this is where we have science on the one hand, and feelings and emotions on the other hand. It is therefore not a so easy problem.
In fact, it is easy for a person who is rational, as demonstrated in your blog. But not every individual is rational. I am actually wondering which proportion of young people looking to pair with someone is actually considering the genotype issue.
Personally, I was not even thinking about this when I was younger, as I was not even aware of it.
Yes, not every individual is rational, especially when it comes to love, emotion always sets in, in fact, I was a victim of it for many years, so I did not just become rational in my writing but experience has humbled me and helped me a lot.
I'm glad to read from your end sir!
Yes, experience makes ourselves changing our minds on many things. Thus may just be proper to humans ;)
May pleasure as well. I was stuck in a blackhole for 18 months and only managed to go out of it earlier this month :)
Happy holiday!
We were all young, and probably crazy. Emotion trumps all, including science. With age comes reality.
That's true... although I may still be crazy ;)
I saw this headline and meant to read, but as is often the case with me got distracted. I carry the trait for Thalassemia...which is not sickle cell anemia but which could be devastating if my spouse also had the trait. Fortunately, my spouse does not come from an area of the world where Thalassemia is prevalent. We didn't learn about this trait in my family until my mother was in her seventies and received a blood test with some odd results. Since then, whenever I get a blood test I tell the physician about my trait and questions about the weird results are answered.
It's interesting that in all the blood tests I took during my two pregnancies, no doctor ever noted the odd blood work. In recent years, the peculiar results always surface. I can only image that blood tests are becoming much more refined.
I think it's a good idea to screen for genetic issues if a couple plans to have children. If children are not in the plan, then it doesn't matter, obviously.
just reading the word Thalassemia for the first time, and that may be the reason why your wife did not have, all thanks to God.
very important
Thanks for your contribution and complement, Do enjoy your holiday and eat with caution brother
First thing First as I would always advise, before saying I love you, what is your genotype please? Should be the first thing to be discussed... As odd as the questions may sound to the partner, it is for everyone's good.
Yes,it is better to ask before taking a step further into the relationship. I like your advise and glad to read from your end.
Well said, prevention is better than cure always.
I am always of the opinion that questions on genotype should be asked first before falling deeply in love with a partner.
I have a friend who had to let go of a beautiful relationship of three years after she found out her boyfriend's genotype was not compatible with her own.
Yes @oluwatobiloba many have experienced lengthy number of years in relationship and later found out that their genotype is not compatible. It is always better to ask!
Yeah I did a DNA test and was revealed to have familial mediterranean fever. It doesn't really harm me since you need to have a mutation on both alleles, but it's really important not to have babies with a woman who also has it! None in my family ever knew this before I'd taken the test! Hopefully in the future, tests will be so cheap that everyone will know their genetics.
I also hope so @alexanderalexis it will unravel many things. Thanks for your feedback
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