The goal of this study is to see if women with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience any difference in their pain while using the birth control injection, Depo-Provera, as compared to when not using this method. Depo-Provera is FDA-approved.

The duration of the study is 6 months with 6-7 in-person visits at the University of Pennsylvania that include a urine pregnancy test, blood draw, and surveys. The study duration is divided into a 3-month "baseline" period, where you would not use any hormonal contraception, and 3 months with the Depo-Provera injection. You would also complete weekly messages that ask about pain and menstrual cycle.

We are seeking women who are between the ages of 18 and 50 who have been diagnosed with SCD, have a regular menstrual cycle, and experience at least one vaso-occlusive pain episode per month.

Individuals with severe sickle cell disease, who are between 18 and 50 years old, may be able to participate. A number of screening tests will be done to determine if subjects can participate. These include review of your past medical history, physical exam, blood and urine tests, pregnancy test, heart ultrasound, electrocardiogram, pulmonary function test, kidney function test, questionnaires, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart and liver. If eligible, blood stem cells will be collected by apheresis.A gene in thesestem cells will thenbe edited to help the stem cells make more fetal hemoglobin. Higher levels of fetal hemoglobin can improve red blood cell sickling. You will then be hospitalized and chemotherapy will be given to empty out the bone marrow. The stem cells, with themodifiedgene, will then be given back to you. You will be followed for side effects and to see if themodifiedgene helps you make healthyred blood cells.