Hemoglobinopathy is a group of diseases in which there is abnormal production or structure of the hemoglobin molecule. It is passed down through families (inherited). Hemoglobin carries oxygen in red blood cells.
This group of disorders includes hemoglobin C disease, hemoglobin S-C disease, sickle cell anemia, and thalassemias.
References
Howard J. Sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 149.
Smith-Whitley K, Kwiatkowski JL. Hemoglobinopathies. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 511.
So JCC, Ma ESK. Hemoglobin and hemoglobinopathies. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CAD, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 77.
Steinberg MH, Benz EJ, Ebert BL. Pathobiology of the human erythrocyte and its hemoglobins. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 34.
Review Date 1/29/2026
Updated by: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.