Is hemophilia contagious?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am concerned about my boyfriend, who is just 20 years old. He says that he has been suffering from hemophilia since his childhood. He is staying away from most outdoor activities. He stays indoors and takes too many medications.

What exactly is hemophilia?
Is it contagious?
Should I stay away from him?
Can I help him in any way?
Are there any precautions to be followed while I am with him?
Is this disease life-threatening?
Can a person live their whole life with hemophilia?
What should I be aware of?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Hemophilia is a hereditary disease that comes from the mother's side and is not contagious at all because it comes from genes. Blood fails to clot as clotting factors are deficient, but if it is severe, the person needs to take regular infusions of the missing factors.

He needs to avoid games that cause injury because if he gets injured, his blood will clot with difficulty. You can help him with moral support and by not mocking him. There are no precautions in any way for you, and this disease is not life-threatening nowadays because of treatments available, but yes, it is difficult to live with, as medicines are costly and have to be taken in injection form.

A person can live their whole life with hemophilia, but it is definitely tough to live with all the treatments all the time, difficult to travel to faraway places, and somewhat restrictive.

People living with hemophilia are heroes in their lives, as they are fighting every day with it.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach out to me again in case of further queries.

Thank you.