Why Is It Important To Know If I Have A Bleeding Disorder?
Finding out that you have a bleeding disorder and getting the medical help you need
can really improve your quality of life and reduce stress. Not getting treatment for a
bleeding disorder can have serious consequences, such as severe anemia. Untreated
bleeding disorders can cause dangerous bleeding after:
•Childbirth
•Miscarriage
•Abortion and Termination of Pregnancy
•Dental work
•Any surgery, whether minor or major
•Injury
All of these bleeding problems can be prevented or controlled with medicine. If you
have symptoms of a bleeding disorder, talk to your doctor. If you know that you have
a bleeding disorder, be sure to tell your doctor, nurse, midwife, surgeon and dentist.
For More Information:
www.victoryforwomen.org
www.hemophilia.org
www.vahemophilia.org
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/index.html
www.fwgbd.org
What is normal?
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A period (menstruation) usually lasts about 4 or 5 days, but one that lasts anywhere
between 2 and 7 days is considered normal.
A normal period occurs on average about every 28 days. Even if you go 21 to 35 days
between periods, it is still considered to be normal. You should be able to use each pad
or tampon for more than an hour, even on your heaviest days.
What is not normal?
Menstrual bleeding that lasts more than 7 days is considered heavy, and is called menorrhagia.
It may be hard for you to tell if you have heavy bleeding because you have gotten used to it. Or
perhaps your mother or other female relatives have told you that it’s normal to have heavy
bleeding. But if you have any of the following signs, you might have menorrhagia:
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So much blood that it soaks through one or more pads or tampons every hour for
several hours in a row.
Need to double up by wearing one pad and a tampon because you are bleeding so
heavily.
Need to change pads or tampons more than once during the night.
Have a menstrual flow that repeatedly contains blood clots the size of a quarter or
larger.
Have a menstrual flow so heavy that it keeps you from doing the things you would do
normally, such as going to work or school.
Besides being an inconvenience, heavy bleeding can be a health risk. The blood loss can cause
anemia, or iron-poor blood. Anemia means you have a low red blood cell count in your blood.
When you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body, you can
feel tired, weak and unable to enjoy life to the fullest.
For More Information:
www.victoryforwomen.org
www.hemophilia.org
www.vahemophilia.org
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/index.html
www.fwgbd.org
Talking to your healthcare provider
Women are more likely than men to notice the symptoms of a bleeding disorder
because we bleed frequently. We menstruate, and we bleed with childbirth and
with miscarriage. However, heavy menstrual bleeding is not the only symptom of
a possible bleeding disorder. If you recognize any of these symptoms tell your
healthcare provider:
•Have been told you are “low in iron” or have been treated for anemia.
•Have experienced heavy bleeding after any surgery including dental surgery.
•Have experienced heavy bleeding after childbirth or miscarriage, such as saturating more than
one pad an hour or having free-flow bleeding.
•Have frequent nosebleeds that last longer than 10 minutes.
•Have bleeding from cuts or injuries that lasts longer than 10 minutes.
•Bruise easily, with bruises that are raised and larger than a quarter.
•Have someone in your family who has one or more of these symptoms.
•Have someone in your family who has been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder such as von
Willebrand disease or hemophilia.
Your healthcare provider will probably ask you the following questions. It will help
if you write the answers down before your visit so that your healthcare provider
can decide what steps to take next.
•How old were you when you had your first period?
•How many days do you have between the start of one period and the start of the next one?
•How many days does your period last?
•How many days do you consider your period to be heavy?
•How often do you have to change your pads or tampons?
•Do you have to double up on pads and/or tampons, especially at night?
•Do your periods interfere with your daily life?
•Do any of the girls or women in your family have heavy periods?
•Do any of the girls or women in your family have any of the bleeding disorder symptoms listed
in the section above?
•Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, such as von Willebrand
disease or hemophilia?
Although you may be uncomfortable talking to your healthcare provider, it’s
important to do so in order for you to receive proper care. The more open and
honest you can be, the better the chance that your provider can properly
diagnose you. Your healthcare provider is there to help. It’s also important to
recognize the fact that not all healthcare providers are aware of bleeding
disorders. You may need to bring information with you to help educate them if
they are not familiar with what tests to order to diagnose a bleeding disorder.
There may be other reasons for heavy bleeding besides a bleeding disorder. Other
possible causes for heavy periods include:
•Adenomyosis--presence of uterine lining tissue in the muscle wall of the uterus.
•Cyst--benign sac in the wall of the ovary or uterus that contains blood, fluid or other material.
•Ectopic pregnancy--a life-threatening pregnancy, in which the baby is growing outside the
uterus.
•Endometrial hyperplasia—thickened endometrial lining of the uterus.
•Endometriosis--presence of uterine-lining tissue (endometrium) outside of the uterus
•Fibroids--noncancerous tumors of the uterus.
•Polyps--noncancerous growths on stalks in the endometrial lining of the uterus.
Heavy periods can also be caused by hormonal imbalances and other medical
conditions including:
•Changes in hormone levels of estrogen or progesterone.
•Complications from hormone-releasing contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, rings,
injections, intrauterine devices).
•Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
•Medications such as blood-thinning (anticoagulant) medications.
For More Information:
www.victoryforwomen.org
www.hemophilia.org
www.vahemophilia.org
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/index.html
www.fwgbd.org