• What is Hemophilia?
• Incidence of Hemophilia
• Genetic Fundamentals
• How is Hemophilia Inherited?
• Unexpected Diagnosis
• Inhibitors

1. R&D
2. PAAB

Understanding Hemophilia

The more you know about hemophilia, the better you'll understand how it may affect you or your loved one over the course of your lives. You'll come to understand that while hemophilia is a chronic condition that requires treatment and careful life choices, affected individuals can successfully function in society in spite of the challenges before them.

• What is Hemophilia?

  Hemophilia is a genetic disorder in which a person's blood cannot clot properly because it is missing, or has too little of the proteins called clotting factors. This can lead to prolonged bleeding and inadequate healing, as well as other complications.

  Learn more about what hemophilia is

• Incidence of Hemophilia

  Hemophilia is a rare condition, affecting only about 1 in 10,000 people worldwide—or about 3,000 people in Canada. Because of the way it's genetically linked, the most severe forms of hemophilia primarily affect males.

  Learn more about the incidence of hemophilia

• Genetic Fundamentals

  To understand how hemophilia is inherited within families, you need to understand the building blocks of genetics—including DNA, genes, chromosomes, and how these affect a person's development and traits.

  Learn more about genetic fundamentals

• How is Hemophilia Inherited?

  Most cases of hemophilia occur because a person inherits a mutated, or faulty, gene from a parent. Because the gene for hemophilia is on the X chromosome, which determines gender, the inheritance of the gene affects males and females differently.

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• Unexpected Diagnosis

  In most cases, hemophilia is inherited and there is a known family history of the condition. However, in about 30% of affected people the diagnosis is unexpected because it results from a spontaneous, non-inherited mutation within their own genes.

  Learn more about unexpected diagnoses

• Inhibitors

  Hemophilia can be treated by giving patients infusions of the clotting factor they lack directly into their blood to help stop bleeding. Sometimes, however, a person's immune system develops inhibitors—antibodies that try to fight that treatment.

  Learn more about inhibitors