A prenatal test for hemophilia
Hemophilia, the bleeder's disease, evokes images of royal princes who suffered from this genetic malady, and of the Russian monk Rasputin, who gained influence over Nicholas and Alexandra by convincing them that he could control their son's bleeding. Such aristocratic associations have tended to obscure the grim fact that hemophilia strikes ordinary mortals as well. It imposes enormous physical, emotional and financial burdens on both sufferer and family.
The rare, inherited blood disorder affects males primarily, and afflicts some 25,000 Americans. Because most hemophiliacs lack a blood-clotting substance known as factor VIII, they may bleed uncontrollably after slight...
