About hemophilia B

Dive into the details of hemophilia B—what it is, who it affects, when symptoms can occur, and more.

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What is hemophilia B?1

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder in which blood does not clot properly. It is usually inherited, and while there is currently no cure for hemophilia, there is treatment that can control and prevent bleeding.

Hemophilia B is a genetic disorder that results in deficient or absent factor IX.1 Factor IX (or factor 9)is a clotting factor, which is an essential blood protein that helps stop bleeding.2

Hemophilia B is also known as Christmas disease. It is named after the first person to be diagnosed with the disorder, Stephen Christmas, in 1952.3

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Differences between hemophilia B and hemophilia A

HEMOPHILIA B

  • Caused by a deficiency of factor IX2
  • Severe cases occur in 35% of males with hemophilia B4
  • Less than 5% of people who have hemophilia B may develop an inhibitor4
  • Hemophilia B can be managed with factor IX2
  • Second most common type of hemophilia; 4 times less common than hemophilia A2
  • Occurs most often in males—about 1 in 19,000 male births in the US5

HEMOPHILIA A

  • Caused by a deficiency of factor VIII2
  • Severe cases occur in 38% of males with hemophilia A4
  • About 20% of people who have severe hemophilia A may develop an inhibitor4
  • Hemophilia A can be managed with factor VIII2
  • Most common type of hemophilia4
  • Occurs most often in males—about 1 in 6,000 male births in the US5

Keep exploring

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What are hemophilia B symptoms?

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Physician discussing treatment options with the patient.

What are the severity levels of hemophilia B?

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Treatment options for hemophilia B

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  1. Cleveland Clinic. Hemophilia B. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23912-hemophilia-b. Accessed February 15, 2023.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is hemophilia? https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/facts.html. Accessed February 13, 2023.
  3. Alshaikhli A, Rokkam VR. Hemophilia B. [Updated 2022 Oct 19]. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; October 19, 2022.
  4. Srivastava A, Santagostino E, Dougall A, et al. WFH Guidelines for the Management of Hemophilia, 3rd edition. Haemophilia. 2020:26(Suppl 6):1-158. https://doi.org/10.1111/hae.14046
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hemophilia. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/features/keyfinding-hemophilia-occurrence-US.html. Accessed February 13, 2023.