Can I join the Navy with Factor V Leiden

My daughter wants to join the navy but her Factor 5 Leiden syndrome has caused them to refuse her entry.  We are allowed to appeal with letters from specalists etc.....she has been told she has one gene and was passed to her threw her father who has both genes and is active having had about 20 clots over his life so far.  My daughter has been told she is inactive with the one gene.  So is there any reason that she cannot join the navy in your opinion?  

[Jordanna Joaquina, MS, CGC]

Although I am not familiar with the Navy policy on Factor V Leiden, I may be able to give you some points for discussion. We recommend that your daughter meet with a medical geneticist for evaluation and to understand the risks associated with Factor V Leiden. A medical geneticist can be found at the American College of Medical Genetics website. Letters from a medical geneticist and hematologist may also be useful in your case.

- About 3% to 8% of Caucasians in the United States and Europe have one copy of the Factor V Leiden mutation (heterozygous). Most people with the Factor V Leiden mutation never develop abnormal blood clots.

- Other factors also increase the risk of blood clots in people with the Factor V Leiden mutation. These factors include increasing age, obesity, trauma, surgery, smoking, the use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) or hormone replacement therapy, and pregnancy. The combination of the Factor V Leiden mutation and mutations in other genes involved in blood clotting can also influence risk.

- In the general population, the risk of developing an abnormal blood clot is about 1 in 1,000 people per year. People with one copy of the Factor V Leiden mutation have an increased risk, about 4 to 8 in 1,000. As you know, people with two mutations have an even higher risk - as high as 80 in 1,000.

We hope you find this information helpful and wish you and your daughter the best.