- Hemophilia is a recessive, sex-related genetic disease caused by a mutation to the genes. Hemophilia A is caused by a mutation to the F8 gene, and Hemophilia B is caused by a mutation to the F9 gene. These mutations can alter or reduce the amount of proteins used in blood clotting.
- The mutations cause a lack of proteins in the clotting factors VII, IX, and XI. This causes the person to be hemophiliac, meaning their blood does not clot normally.
- If the mom has hemophilia, or is a carrier, her sons have a high chance of having the disease. The daughters will only have a chance of getting the disease if the father has the disease and the mother is hemophiliac or is a carrier.
- 400 babies are born with hemophilia every year. Males are more likely to have hemophilia than females.
- 1 out of every 680,000 people will have hemophilia.
- If someone appears to have a bleeding problem, the doctors will first check the medical histories of the patient and their parents. The doctors will then test how long it takes for the patients blood to clot, whether the blood has low levels of any clotting factors, and whether any clotting factors are completely missing from the patients blood.
- Physical symptoms of hemophilia include excessive bleeding from minor cuts, bleeding in the joints and brain, and extreme bruising.
- Someone with hemophilia will need different amounts of medical assistance depending on the severity of their disease. Someone with severe hemophilia will be restricted on their activities and need immediate attention at an emergency care center if they are injured and risk bleeding. Someone with minor hemophilia may just need someone trained to treat their injuries without having to visit the hospital.
- Hemophilia is a lifelong disease. Prevention and treatment for bleeding is improving with new technologies and will continue improving in the future. Most people with hemophilia will live relatively healthy lives with a normal lifespan with careful decisions.
- Life expectancy of someone with hemophilia is the same as a normal person, if they are careful and aware of their complications.
- People with hemophilia can be injected with plasma that contains the blood clotting factors they need. This treatment will help stop the bleeding when someone is injured. There is no permanent cure for hemophilia yet.
- People are constantly researching a cure for hemophilia and are coming closer to a cure.