Hemophilia in the First Year of Life

IN hemophilia bleeding difficulties are infrequently encountered during the neonatal period.1 This is remarkable since the trauma even of a normal delivery can be regarded as significant, especially for a newborn infant with this disease. Circumcision is often performed during the first days of life without excessive blood loss in infants who later are found to be "bleeders." The reason for the lack of bleeding during the neonatal period is unknown. There has been contradictory evidence of whether or not transplacental passage of factor VIII (antihemophilic factor) from the mother takes place. After the newborn period major bleeding difficulties are . . .