Some bleeding disorders happen only to women or are more common in women than in men. These conditions can impact overall health and well-being and can be detrimental to fertility as well as childbirth. Women who have been diagnosed with these conditions will often need careful medical supervision for their condition to prevent injury and serious side effects related to bleeding.
The symptoms of female bleeding disorders can vary. Von Willebrand Disease is quite common in female patients, and it can lead to things like internal bleeding, bruising, and problems with severe bleeding during menstruation or childbirth.
Women with menorrhagia can experience heavy bleeding only during menstruation without being prone to bruising or other symptoms associated with other bleeding disorders. Rare bleeding disorders can also occur in women at a higher incidence than men, causing problems with severe nosebleeds, issues with internal bleeding or bleeding into the organs, or pain and discomfort related to engaging in physical activity.
Some of the common symptoms associated with female bleeding disorders are:
The causes of bleeding disorders are not well understood in most cases. Clotting factor disorders like Von Willebrand disease or haemophilia are linked to genetics and can be passed to children by their parents. Other bleeding conditions related to heavy menstruation or the tendency to suffer blood clots might not be linked with heredity.
The risk factors for bleeding disorders in women are:
Bleeding disorders are almost always diagnosed via blood tests. These tests help identify what is wrong with the clotting factors in the blood that leads to a bleeding disorder. Clotting factor tests are a common tool to diagnose these conditions. You might also be asked to submit to genetic testing if there is a history of bleeding disorders in your family.
For women who suffer from bleeding disorders, treatment usually requires a variety of modalities. You might be placed on birth control to help control bleeding during menstruation. You could also be given clotting factor concentrates that help supply your body with the missing factors that prevent proper blood clotting when you are injured.
There are various kinds of hormone therapies that can be used to help control blood clotting disorders, and you might also be given antifibrinolytics to help prevent blood clots from breaking up too fast. Some people also benefit from being given iron supplements if they are anaemic due to their condition.
Prevention of bleeding disorders is not usually possible as these conditions are almost always genetic in nature. Once you are aware of your condition, you can be more cautious about the activities that you engage in and pay more attention to things like bruises that seem not to be healing. You should always be sure that you do not discontinue your medications that have been prescribed by your doctor to prevent accidental bleeding that can lead to serious complications.