Women and bleeding disorders

Research shows that bleeding disorders in women and girls often are undiagnosed. With proper treatment, young women with bleeding disorders can lead full, active lives and more safely undergo surgery, dental work, and childbirth.

This program is the only one of its kind in Minnesota and is part of Children’s Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders. Care is provided by a hematologist/oncologist and two certified pediatric nurse practitioners with special experience in ensuring accurate test results during diagnosis and treating common bleeding disorders in women.

Common symptoms of bleeding disorders in women include:

• Periods that are very heavy (soaking through a pad/tampon every hour for 2-3 hours in a row or blood clots more than one inch in diameter)
• Heavy bleeding from reproductive disorders that cause bleeding, such as endometriosis
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Frequent or heavy nosebleeds
• Iron deficiency

Common blood disorders in women include:

• Von Willebrand disease: This inherited bleeding disorder is caused by deficiencies or defects in parts of the blood that help clots to form. Von Willebrand disease is the most common bleeding disorder in women.
• Hemophilia. This disease, inherited by males, causes a lack of clotting factors in the blood. As carriers of the disease, women also sometimes can have symptoms.

Contact us:

• If you have questions about the women and bleeding disorders program or if you’d like to make an appointment, call the hematology/oncology clinic of Children’s – Minneapolis at 612-813-5940 or Children’s – St. Paul at 651-220-6732.
• If you are a health professional looking for a consultation or referral information, please call Children’s Physician Access at 1-866-755-2121 (toll-free).