Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Published : April 16, 2026 2:20 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Shrey Srivastava
Haemophilia refers to a genetic bleeding disorder that is a rare condition causing the body to fail in producing normal clotting of the blood which results in excessive bleeding despite minor injuries. This disorder is widely divided into two major subtypes i.e. Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B which are similar but differ in their causes and the intensity of the condition. Healthcare professionals note that early diagnosis and proper management are essential in preventing complications.
Haemophilia is a hereditary disease which is caused by the lack of certain clotting factors in the blood such as proteins which aid in preventing bleeding. Experts note that individuals with haemophilia have a longer bleeding period compared to normal bleeding usually into joints and muscles causing permanent damage unless tackled well.
The major distinction between Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B is the type of clotting factor that is either missing or deficient:
Even though there is a difference between the two, Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B conditions have similar symptoms and need to be treated similarly. Dr. Shrey Srivastava, Senior Consultant of Internal Medicine at Sharda Hospital told TheHealthsite.com, "Factor VIII deficiency (haemophilia A) and factor IX deficiency (haemophilia B) are two disorders that arise due to excessive bleeding through identical symptoms."
Explaining the severity of the condition he further continued, "Haemophilia A is considered a more serious illness than haemophilia B due to its higher incidence rate and the presence of inhibitors for factor VIII. The inhibitors make treatment less effective but cause challenging to manage cases of internal bleeding. The seriousness of any of the conditions depends on the quantity of factors (below one per cent means a serious condition) and individual characteristics of bleeding. The most common complications are joint bleeding (hemarthrosis), arthritis, and intracranial bleeding."
Both Haemophilia A and Haemophilia B have overlapping symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) these are some typical symptoms you should watch out for:
This hereditary disorder is most likely to occur in males compared to females as they are the carriers of the gene. The disorder is associated with the X chromosome i.e. it is inherited but in certain cases some individuals could be diagnosed with no family history due to random genetic mutations.
Diagnosis can be made by blood tests that assess the level of clotting factors. It is imperative to detect it early particularly in children whose family members have a history of the disorder. Therapy is primarily aimed at providing substitution of the missing clotting factors wherein patients are injected with the missing factor of either factor IX in Haemophilia B or factor IX in Haemophilia A.
The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.
No, both typically show similar symptoms such as prolonged bleeding, easy bruising and joint bleeds.
Haemophilia A is caused by a deficiency of clotting Factor VIII while Haemophilia B results from a deficiency of Factor IX.
Neither is inherently more severe because it depends on how low the clotting factor levels are.
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.
