Hemophilia is a rare genetic disorder where the blood does not clot normally and hence bleeding occurs which could lead to other complications.
What is hemophilia ?
Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder where the blood does not clot due to lack of certain blood clotting factors. Depending upon the type of factor which is lacking, Hemophilia is categorized into A, B and C types.
- Hemophilia A: Deficiency of clotting Factor VIII. Mostly affects males and females are carriers of the disorder.
- Hemophilia B: Deficiency of clotting Factor IX. Mostly affects males and females are carriers of the disorder.
- Hemophilia C: Deficiency of clotting Factor XI. Can affect both males and females.
The types can also be categorized as mild, moderate and severe depending upon the symptoms and manifestations of the disorder
How is hemophilia inherited ?
An individual has two sex chromosomes, males have one X and one Y chromosome whereas females have two X chromosomes. Hemophilia trait is found on the X chromosome and hence males who inherit one X chromosome from the mother have a 50% chance of getting Hemophilia with clinical manifestations, whereas females inherit one X chromosome from the father, hence they are the carriers of Hemophilia.
What are the symptoms of hemophilia ?
Since, in Hemophilia the blood is not able to clot, the chances of bleeding on any injury are more. Few common symptoms are mentioned below.
- Bleeding from cuts and wounds which is unexplained
- Bleeding lasts for a longer period
- Bleeding in infants after vaccination
- Bleeding from gums
- Bleeding while urinating or while passing stools
- Increased incidence of nose bleeds
Severe symptoms can include the following.
- Bleeding in the joints
- Internal bleeding in organs
- Extreme weakness and fatigue
- Increased incidence of headaches
- Affected vision
- Increased incidence of infections
Understanding of the signs and symptoms of Hemophilia is important as it helps in diagnosing the disorder at an early stage to prevent severe complications.
Can hemophilia be cured ?
Hemophilia is a genetically inherited disorder and no complete cure for it has been developed so far, but diagnosis of the disorder at an early stage can help individuals in starting the available treatments to improve the quality of life and to avoid worsening of the symptoms.
Why there is a need for creating awareness about hemophilia ?
According to World Federation of Hemophilia, 1 in every 1000 people is affected with Hemophilia and many cases go undiagnosed causing early death of the affected individuals. This day, 17th April of every year marks in increasing awareness about the disorder and the available treatments. It is important to know and understand the symptoms, and one should seek medical help when one experiences the symptoms of Hemophilia. Preventive measures can include screening of the infant for bleeding disorders or if the mother is aware of her Hemophilic trait, she can consult a specialist to know if her child could be affected with Hemophilia. Awareness and knowledge about this disorder can help in improving lives of individuals affected with Hemophilia and reducing the overall burden of the disease.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is meant for general informational purposes only and hence SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, care or evaluation by a qualified doctor/physician or other relevantly qualified healthcare provider.