It’s caused by a defect in the X chromosome, so women—by virtue of redundant X chromosomes—seldom have it. It was described by an Arab doctor a thousand years ago, and awareness of it may trace back even further. It has played a role in history and was passed to descendents of Queen Victoria, including Alexei Nikolaevich, the son of Nicholas II. It has even been called the royal disease.
Hemophilia, together with several related blood conditions, has proved itself for centuries to be a life-limiting inheritance that has only been manageable in recent times. On the premise of knowing thy enemy, you can learn the basics by selecting one of the above categories. |