Hemophilia, treated by The Comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Center at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati, is a lifelong, inherited condition in which the body lacks an important blood-clotting factor. As a result of this decrease in clotting factor, the person with hemophilia can have episodes of prolonged bleeding. Usually bleeding is internal, into muscles and joints. Hemophilia occurs in persons from any socioeconomic group, race and ethnic background. Nearly all those affected by hemophilia are males.
Females can carry the condition and pass it on to their children.
Although hemophilia is generally inherited, it can occur without a previous family history of the disorder. The severity of hemophilia can range from severe to moderate to mild. The severity remains constant throughout a person's life and is usually consistent among family members. Bleeding episodes are treated by replacing the deficient blood-clotting factor. With modern clotting-factor replacement therapy, persons with hemophilia can lead active, healthy lives.