BLOOD matters - Société Canadienne de l'Hémophilie

SWOR
BleedHERS – Just for Ladies
Women can have bleeding disorders too. A bleeding disorder results from
a flaw in the body’s clotting system. Specialized proteins in the blood are
called clotting factors. If they are missing or do not work properly, a bleeding
disorder can result. Most bleeding disorders are inherited, caused by a
genetic mutation, but some can occur spontaneously. People with bleeding
disorders bleed longer, not faster, than those who do not.
You may have a bleeding disorder if you have one or more of the following
symptoms:
• Heavy menstrual periods (bleeding for more than seven days, from the
time it began until it stopped; Flooding or gushing of blood, limiting daily
activities such as housework, exercise or social activities; Passing clots that
are bigger than a quarter; Changing tampon and/or pad every two hours
or less on heaviest day
• Low in iron or have been treated for anemia
• Your family history includes bleeding symptoms and/or 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 and/or
have other additional bleeding symptoms such as: frequent prolonged
nose bleeds (longer than 10 minutes) or prolonged bleeding from cuts
(longer than five minutes) or easy bruising (weekly, raised and larger than
a quarter)
If you have one or more of these symptoms, please speak with your doctor
or other healthcare professional.
The most common bleeding disorder in women and girls is von Willebrand
Disease (VWD). It affects 1 in 100 Canadian women (approximately 150,000
women). VWD is an inherited bleeding disorder. It is caused by a defect in or
deficiency of von Willebrand factor, a protein the blood needs for clotting.
Women and girls can also have the most common types of hemophilia which
is hereditary. Some are symptomatic carriers of hemophilia, meaning that
they not only carry the gene, they also display symptoms.
Although men and women with bleeding disorders have similar symptoms,
such as bleeds into joints and tissues, women can experience added
complications during menstruation, pregnancy, labour and delivery. Some
doctors are not familiar with bleeding disorders in women, many of whom
are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Women with undiagnosed and untreated
bleeding disorders risk serious complications. If you have symptoms of a bleeding
disorder, it is important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment from a
specialist, called a hematologist. Have your doctor refer you to the Bleeding
Disorders Program for testing. Should you be diagnosed, you could begin to
receive comprehensive care specific to your needs.
38\ Blood Matters Fall 2010
Other Resources
http://www.hemophilia.ca/en/
bleeding-disorders/women-withinherited-bleeding-disorders
The
Canadian Hemophilia Society (CHS)
dedicates a section of their website
to providing information to women
and girls with bleeding disorders.
www.hemophilia.ca/genes CHS
also has a new interactive animated
video Me and My Genes that provides
pre-teen and teenage carriers
with relevant and age appropriate
information about what it means to
be a carrier.
www.mygirlsblood.org is one of
several online international social
networks dedicated to sharing the
lives of girls and women with bleeding
disorders.