Hemophilia is a hereditary bleeding disorder that primarily affects males. In 3–5 sentences, summarize why this condition typically affects males more than females.

A chart shows the British hemophilia line.

1 answer

Hemophilia primarily affects males due to its inheritance pattern, which is linked to the X chromosome. Males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY), so if they inherit a faulty gene for hemophilia on their single X chromosome, they will express the condition. In contrast, females have two X chromosomes (XX), meaning they would require mutations in both X chromosomes to exhibit the disorder; if they have one normal X chromosome, it can compensate for the affected one. Consequently, while females can be carriers of hemophilia, it is much less common for them to manifest the condition.