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GYNAECOLOGY
ABNORMAL BLEEDING DISORDERS
What is abnormal bleeding disorder?
A bleeding disorder is a medical condition that occurs when the blood’s ability to form a clot after an injury or damage of the blood vessel. Coagulation, also known as the clotting process, is when the blood is changed from a liquid form to a solid form.
After an injury, your blood will clot in order to prevent you from losing too much. In some cases, certain conditions prevent your blood from clotting properly, which may result in heavy or prolonged bleeding. Bleeding disorders may cause bleeding both outside and inside the body.
There are different types of abnormal bleeding disorders, namely:
Haemophilia:
This is a bleeding disorder where you may lack or have low levels of certain proteins called the clotting factors, which results in your blood unable to clot properly. This is an inherited bleeding disorder.
Von Willebrand disease:
This bleeding disorder is caused by a deficiency of von Willebrand factor (VWF). The von Willebrand factor is a type of protein which is responsible for helping your blood clot.
Factor II. V, VII, X, or XII deficiencies:
These are bleeding disorders that are related to blood clotting problems or abnormal bleeding problems. These are rare bleeding disorders.
What are the related symptoms of an abnormal bleeding disorder?
Symptoms of abnormal bleeding may vary depending on the type of bleeding disorder you may be diagnosed with. However, the symptoms may include:
- - Easy bruising which may also be unexplained
- - Heavy menstrual bleeding
- - Frequent nosebleeds
- - Excessive bleeding from small cuts or an injury
- - Bleeding joints
How are abnormal bleeding disorders treated?
Treatment depends on the type of bleeding disorder and its severity. Treatment helps relieve symptoms. Dr Vatharajh may recommend the following:
Iron Supplements:
These are prescribed to help replenish the amount of iron if you have significant blood loss.
Birth control methods:
These may include the pill, patch, shot, vaginal ring, and hormonal intrauterine device (IUD). They help increase the amount of some clotting factors in the blood and also help control heavy periods.
Hormones:
This involves Dr Vatharajh giving you a hormone called desmopressin acetate to help treat bleeding disorders such as von Willebrand’s disease or haemophilia. Desmopressin acetate helps your body release stored clotting factors into your blood.
Clotting factor concentrates:
This medicine adds proteins in the blood to help prevent or control bleeding.
Dr Rochelle Vatharajh is a family-friendly Gynaecologist and Obstetrician
based at Netcare Parklands Hospital in Durban.
