Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder. It can prevent the body from clotting blood normally and cause excessive bleeding after an injury. There is not enough clotting factor in the blood. Clotting factor is a blood protein that controls bleeding. People with hemophilia do not bleed faster than normal, but they may bleed for a longer period of time. It often affects the head, stomach, joints, knees, elbows and ankles. Symptoms may include numerous deep, large bruises, joint pain and swelling, unexplained bleeding, and blood in the urine. These symptoms can cause accumulation of blood (hematoma), blood clotting, and abnormal bleeding. Hemophilia is caused by a defect in one of the genes that determines how the body produces blood clotting factor VIII or IX. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay These genes are found on the X chromosomes. If the gene is defective, the result is hemophilia, unless there is a normal, dominant gene on a corresponding X chromosome. Hemophilia is a sex-linked recessive disease. If someone is a carrier of hemophilia, but the other person is not, there is a 50% chance that their baby will have hemophilia (more likely in a boy). If two people are carriers of hemophilia, there is a 100% chance of having it. If there is no haemophilia carrier in a relationship, there is still the possibility that someone could contract it, even without a family history. When a father has hemophilia but the mother does not, none of the sons will have hemophilia, but the daughters will carry the hemophilia gene. These types of defects occur more often in men than in women. A woman can only have hemophilia if her father has it or her mother is a carrier. This is very rare. In females (who have two X chromosomes), a mutation in both copies of the gene would have to occur to cause the disease. There are two main types of hemophilia. Hemophilia A (due to clotting factor VIII deficiency) is the most common type of hemophilia. Hemophilia B (due to clotting factor IX deficiency) affects one in twenty thousand newborns worldwide. Both hemophilia A and B are clinically nearly identical and are inherited in an X-linked recessive genetic pattern. Depending on the severity of hemophilia, symptoms may be worse or less likely. This can range from normal to severe. Today the treatment of hemophilia can be very effective. If a clot is treated quickly and effectively, it will help reduce pain in your joints, muscles, and organs. To treat a clot, the clotting factor that is missing when you have hemophilia is injected into your bloodstream. When enough clotting factor is injected, the bleeding will stop. There is no cure yet and they are currently trying to find one. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Without treatment, if you have severe hemophilia it may be difficult for you to get ahead in school or work, and you may even become physically disabled. Treatment is given if there is bleeding in a joint, injury to the neck, mouth, tongue, face or eyes, severe pain, swelling, open wounds and more. Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) can cause more bleeding as can other drugs.