Final answer:
Hemophilia is a hereditary condition impairing the body's ability to clot blood, due to a lack of clotting factors. Affected individuals may experience prolonged bleeding and are at increased risk of internal bleeding, particularly into muscles and joints.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Kimberly tells you that she has hemophilia, you can understand that she is referring to a hereditary condition that affects the blood clotting ability of the body.
Individuals with hemophilia have a deficiency of certain proteins known as clotting factors, which are essential for the blood clotting process.
Normally, these factors are released by platelets to help stop bleeding. However, in those with hemophilia, this process is impaired which can lead to prolonged bleeding from even minor injuries and an increased risk of internal bleeding, especially into muscles and joints.
Hemophilia famously affected European royalty for generations, illustrating its hereditary nature. It is important to know that hemophilia is usually treated with replacement therapies and careful monitoring to manage the symptoms and prevent bleeding complications.