“Approximately one in 12 African Americans, a much larger percentage than most populations, is heterozygous for sickle cell anemia” (Biggs 323). This is an extraordinarily large number of African Americans. Especially considering the fact that sickle cell disease is a codominant disorder (Biggs 324). People who come from or live in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea can also have the disease. This disease affects a huge population that is increasing every day. For this reason, it is important to know how sickle cell anemia is genetically inherited, what its symptoms are, and how it can be treated. Sickle cell disease, a co-dominant disease, causes the body to generate inadequate amounts of red blood cells, but it can be inhibited and treated favorably. Sickle cell anemia occurs when you inherit the trait from each of your parents or are a carrier for it and there is oxygen deficiency (Bryant). According to Genetics and Inherited conditions, “approximately one in six hundred children born in the United States to African American parents has sickle cell disease” (Berman). Considering the amount of people you would see each day, this is a considerable number. Since sickle cell disease is codominant, there are people who have sickle cell trait and there are those who have sickle cell disease completely. According to the biology textbook, “dominant alleles are a pattern in which the phenotypes of both homozygous parents are produced in heterozygous offspring so that both alleles are equally expressed” (Biggs 1120). This means that neither sickle cells nor red blood cells are dominant over each other. If one is a carrier of the trait it means that the person has sickle cell anemia along with the red blood cells in his body. T...... half of the document......1399?prevSearch=sickle%2Bcell%2Banemia&searchHistoryKey=&queryHash=5b0effbd123751d8344110327b68a0fd>.Biggs, Alton, et al. Biology: the dynamics of life. New York: Glencoe-McGraw, 2004. Print.Bryant, Jane B, et al., comps. “Patient Information: Sickle Cell Anemia (Basics).” Updated. Ed. Kathryn A Martin, et al. Np, 3 October 2011. Web. 6 March 2015..Harris, Jacqueline. Sickle cell anemia. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group, 2001. Page No. Nonfiction Book Collection: Middle School Edition ... Web. March 2, 2015. "Sickle Cell Anemia." Genetic Learning Center. Np, 31 December 1969. Web. 6 March. 2015. .