Pattern of time of discovery of personal and partner genotype among predominantly reproductive age parents of children with sickle cell disease in Enugu, South East Nigeria
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital/ESUT College of Medicine Parklane Enugu, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2026, 10(02), 001-010.
Article DOI: 10.53346/wjapmr.2026.10.2.0012
Publication history:
Received on 28 January 2026; revised on 23 March 2026; accepted on 26 March 2026
Abstract:
Background: Sickle cell disease is associated with lots of morbidity and mortality. To guide efforts towards prevention of new cases of SCD, this study assessed pattern of time of discovery of personal and partner genotype and their determinants among parents of children with SCD in Enugu, Nigeria
Objective: To determine the pattern of time of discovery of personal and partner genotype and their determinants among predominantly reproductive age parents of children with sickle cell disease in Enugu, Nigeria
Materials and Methods: Seventy-two biological parents of children with SCD were interviewed with semi-structured questionnaire following consent at Paediatric Haematology outpatient clinic of ESUT Teaching hospital Parklane, Enugu. Convenient sampling method was used. Data obtained was entered into SPSS version 26 and later exported to SPSS version 27 with which it was analyzed.
Results: Of the 72 respondents assessed, 67(93.1%) were aware that their genotype was AS while 63% of the respondents were aware that the genotype of their partners was AS. Majority of them discovered their personal genotype 34(50.7%) and partner genotype 32(50.8%) after marriage following the diagnosis of SCD on their sick child.
Conclusion: Majority of the respondents were aware of personal and partner’s genotype but their discovery was more after marriage following the diagnosis of SCD on their sick child. To prevent new cases of SCD concerted effort must be made to encourage the citizens to do pre-marriage genotype test and to insist on genotype compatibility that rules out the possibility of giving birth to children with SCD.
Keywords:
Sickle cell disease; Pattern of discovery of genotype; Determinants; Prevention of SCD
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