Although hemophilia is thought of as a man’s bleeding disorder, women can have it, too. The most common bleeding disorder is von Willebrand disease (VWD), which occurs in about 1% of the US population. Symptoms include nosebleeds, easy bruising, and heavy and prolonged menstrual periods that last longer than a week, also known as menorrhagia.
The National Hemophilia Foundation’s Victory for Women website has all the information you need about symptoms, testing and diagnosis, and managing your bleeding disorder.
If you have symptoms of a bleeding disorder, your life can be better if you know. Better if you seek care. Better if you get treatment. Find out if you are at risk, and take the first step in feeling better. Better You Know.
What is von Willebrand Disease?
VWD is the most common bleeding disorder, found in up to 1% of the U.S. population. This means that 3.2 million (or about 1 in every 100) people in the United States have the disease. Although VWD occurs among 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. There are 3 major types of VWD: Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3.
GHA hosts a regional FAB (Females and Bleeding) Disorders conference each October. Visit GHA’s list of events for additional information.
