Dr. Suraj Chiraniya Hematologist & BMT Physician

What is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia is a rare genetic disorder that affects a person's ability to form blood clots.

• It is often referred to as a bleeding disorder.
• People with hemophilia have a deficiency or absence of certain proteins called clotting factors, which are essential for the blood to clot properly.
• The most common types of hemophilia are hemophilia A and hemophilia B, which are caused by deficiencies in clotting factor VIII and clotting factor IX, respectively.
• When a person with hemophilia is injured or undergoes surgery, their blood doesn't clot normally, leading to prolonged bleeding. Hemophilia can range in severity, with some individuals experiencing mild symptoms and others having more severe bleeding tendencies.
• Hemophilia is typically an inherited condition, and it primarily affects males because the defective gene responsible for hemophilia is located on the X chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, they are more likely to express the disorder if they inherit the faulty gene, whereas females, who have two X chromosomes, are usually carriers of the gene.