Bleeding and clotting disorders affect men and women, these conditions pose unique problems for women because of the impact the disorders can have on their reproductive health and quality of life. Current data estimate that as many as 1% of women in the United States may have a bleeding disorder and many are unaware of their condition.The most common bleeding disorder affecting women is von Willebrand disease (VWD), which results from a deficiency or defect in the body’s ability to produce a certain protein that helps blood clot. Although VWD occurs in men and women equally, women are more likely to notice the symptoms because of heavy or abnormal bleeding during their menstrual periods and after childbirth. VWD and other blood disorders may also cause women to experience recurrent fetal loss, heavy bleeding during dental procedures, frequent nosebleeds, and heavy bleeding during or after surgery.Women with heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) or VWD are at increased risk for anemia, pain during menstruation, hospitalizations, blood transfusions, limitations in daily activities, time lost from work or school, and a reduced quality of life. In addition to VWD, other rare bleeding disorders and more common platelet function disorders may also be responsible for bleeding symptoms in women.

Although there are no cures for bleeding disorders, treatment is available to control symptoms and help women avoid complications and invasive procedures.A bleeding disorder is a health problem that makes it difficult for a person to stop bleeding. As many as one in 10 women with heavy menstrual periods may have a bleeding disorder.1 The most common type of bleeding disorder in women is von Willebrand disease (VWD). If left untreated, bleeding disorders raise your risk for anemia and dangerous bleeding after childbirth.Symptoms of bleeding disorders in women
symptoms:

Heavy menstrual periods
Bleeding for more than 7 days, from the time it began until it stopped
Flooding or gushing of blood, limiting daily activities such as work, exercise or social activities
Passing clots that are bigger than a quarter
Changing tampon and/or pad every 2 hours or less on heaviest day
Being told you are “low in iron” or have anemia
Having bleeding symptoms and someone in your family has a bleeding disorder, such as von Willebrand disease, or a clotting factor deficiency, such as hemophilia
Heavy bleeding from dental surgery, other surgery, or childbirth.
Frequent nose bleeds that last longer than 10 minutes
Bleeding from cuts lasting longer than 5 minutes
Easy bruising (weekly, raised and larger than a quarter)
If you have one or more of these symptoms, talk to your doctoWomen and girls can also have mild hemophilia. Women who carry the gene for hemophilia can have factor levels that are low, resulting in a diagnosis of mild hemophilia. Sometimes these women are referred to as “symptomatic carriers.” There are many rare factor disorders (link), including factor I, II, VI, VII, XI and XIII deficiency that affect men and women equally.

Authors can Submit manuscript online:  https://www.imedpub.com/submissions/womens-health-reproductive-medicine.html

John Kimberly

Managing Editor

Journal of Womens Health and Reproductive Medicine