Up to 1% of women in the United States have a bleeding disorder and many do not know it.

A bleeding disorder results from a flaw in the blood clotting system. Some bleeding disorders are inherited, meaning they are passed down from parent to child. However, bleeding disorders can also occur spontaneously, without any history of bleeding problems in other family members.

You may have a bleeding disorder if you have one of more of the following symptoms:

• Heavy menstrual periods, including:
  • Bleeding longer than seven days
  • Flooding or gushing blood
  • Passing coin-sized clots
  • Changing pad/tampon every two hours or more frequently  at any point
• Frequent prolonged nosebleeds (longer than 10 minutes)
• Prolonged bleeding from cuts (longer than five minutes)
• Easy or excessive bruising
• You have been treated for anemia or told that you are “low in iron”
• You have experienced heavy bleeding from surgery, including dental procedures
• Someone in your family has a bleeding disorder or several of the above symptoms

Types of bleeding disorders include:

• Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder
• Factor deficiencies: VIII (Hemophilia A) & Factor IX (Hemophilia B) are the most common
• Platelet disorders
• Connective tissue disorders, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• What is referred to in medical literature as “bleeding without identified cause”

A blood clotting disorder, often known as thrombophilia, results when there is an increased tendency for the blood to clot.

Like hemophilia or VWD, some forms of thrombophilia are also caused by an abnormality or deficiency in a blood clotting factor.  Blood clotting disorders can be inherited and passed down from parent to child.

These conditions pose added difficulties for young women because of the possibility of reproductive issues. There can be serious problems for women with clotting disorders who use certain oral contraceptives (also referred to as hormonal therapy) even during adolescence.

You may have a clotting disorder if:

• A family member under the age of 40 has been diagnosed with a blood clot or stroke
• A relative has had three or more miscarriages
• Someone in your family already has a diagnosis of thrombophilia or a clotting disorder

Types of clotting disorders include:

• Factor V Leiden is the most common inherited clotting disorder, largely affecting caucasians of European decent
• Prothrombin gene mutation (factor II)
• Protein C deficiency
• Protein S deficiency
• Anti-thrombin deficiency