title: Prevalence and pattern of sickle cell disease in premarital couples in Southeastern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premarital haemoglobin screening is an important strategy for the control of Sickle Cell Disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and pattern of sickle cell disease among premarital couples and to assess their attitude to the risk of sickle cell anaemia in their offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional descriptive study using interviewer administered questionnaire and haemoglobin screening to collect data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic sampling of every third premarital couples attending the General outpatient Clinic of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, between November 2010 and October 2011 was used to select the subjects for the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  SPSS version 16 was used for statistical analysis of data from 212 premarital couples or 424 subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HbAA and HbAS were 72.64% or 308/424 and 26.4% or 112/424, respectively, while HbSS was 0.94% or 4/424. In 95.3% of the couples there was no risk of offspring inheriting sickle cell anaemia. An equal percentage of males (χ2 = 24.704; df = 6; P = 0.000) and females (χ2 = 12. 684; df 6; P = 0.048) (67.9% or 144/212) would call-off their marriage if there was risk of their offspring being HbSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three quarters of the premarital couples had HbAA, while one quarter had Sickle cell trait. A very low percentage of the couples (2.8%) had 1:4 risk of their offspring inheriting SCA (HbSS). About 2/3 of the subjects would call-off the marriage if there was risk of their offspring inheriting SCA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. godswilln@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Nnaji
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ezeagwuna
authors.forename: Ijf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nnaji
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Osakwe
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nwigwe
authors.forename: O W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Onwurah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins