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About Bleeding Disorders
In people with bleeding disorders, the blood clotting process doesn’t work properly, with the result that they can bleed for longer than normal, and some people may experience spontaneous bleeding into joints, muscles, or other parts of their bodies which can lead to developmental and permanent mobility issues.
INHERITED BLEEDING DISORDERS
In people with bleeding disorders, the blood clotting process doesn’t work properly. As a result, people with bleeding disorders can bleed for longer than normal, and some may experience spontaneous bleeding into joints, muscles, or other parts of their bodies.
HEMOPHILIA
Hemophilia is a bleeding problem. People with hemophilia do not bleed any faster than normal, but they can bleed for a longer time. Their blood does not have enough clotting factor, a protein that controls bleeding.
WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH HEMOPHILIA
For many years, people believed that only men and boys (or males) could have symptoms of hemophilia, and that women who “carry” the hemophilia gene do not experience bleeding symptoms themselves. We now know that many women and girls do experience symptoms of hemophilia.
INHIBITORS
Inhibitors are a serious medical problem that occur when a person with hemophilia has an immune response to treatment with clotting factor concentrates. For people with sufficient access to care, treatment of inhibitors is one of the biggest challenges in hemophilia today.
PROPHYLAXIS
Prophylaxis is the regular infusion of clotting factor concentrates in order to prevent bleeding. The idea of prophylaxis came from the observation that people with moderate or mild hemophilia rarely experience spontaneous bleeding. They also have less joint damage than people who have severe hemophilia.
VON WILLEBRAND DISEASE
von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder. People with VWD have a problem with a protein in their blood called von Willebrand factor (VWF) that helps control bleeding. It is estimated that up to 1% of the world’s population suffers from VWD, but as many as 9 out of 10 people with VWD have not been diagnosed.
RARE CLOTTING FACTOR DEFICIENCIES
Rare clotting factor deficiencies are a group of inherited bleeding disorders caused by a problem with one or several clotting factors. Clotting factors are proteins in the blood that control bleeding. Many different clotting factors work together in a series of chemical reactions to stop bleeding.
INHERITED PLATELET DISORDERS
Platelets are small cells that circulate in the blood. They are involved in the formation of blood clots and the repair of damaged blood vessels. Platelet function disorders are conditions in which platelets don’t work the way they should, resulting in a tendency to bleed or bruise.
Did you know?
The WFH PACT Program is a 5-year initiative designed to improve outreach and diagnosis and increase access to sustainable care for people with inherited bleeding disorders.
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