WHAT IS HEMOPHILIA?

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by a defect or deficiency of one of the clotting factor proteins necessary for blood to clot.

The two most common forms are hemophilia A or classic hemophilia caused by a deficiency of factor VIII and hemophilia B or Christmas disease caused by a deficiency of factor IX.

Symptoms include bleeding into joints and muscles that can lead to painful crippling and deformity if not properly treated. Occasionally life-threatening bleeding can occur in the brain or other organs.

Hemophilia affects mainly males, occurring in approximately one in every 5,000 males, however female carriers of the hemophilia gene may also have low levels of clotting factor and experience bleeding symptoms.