Hemophilia (also spelled haemophilia) is a rare x-linked (or sex-linked) genetic disorder in which the “clotting factors” in one’s blood are ineffective. There are two types of hemophilia. Hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Hemophilia A is the absence of blood clotting factor VIII. Hemophilia B is the absence of blood clotting factor IX. Normally, Hemophilia occurs in men. However, women can be carriers (or in rare cases, exhibitors) of the disease. Fortunately, many hemophiliacs live life without much trouble and only a few die from the disorder.
A picture of a hemophiliac (which is from here):
