What are the symptoms of bleeding disorders? How would I know if I had one of these disorders?

Adapted by Tracee Cornforth

Symptoms of bleeding disorders include:

• Very heavy bleeding with menstrual periods (menorrhagia)
• Unusual bleeding after injury or surgery
• Bleeding from small cuts that starts and stops over several hours
• Frequent or prolonged nosebleeds
• Unusual bleeding from the mouth or gums after a tooth extraction

If you have any of the following symptoms, you should discuss them with your health care provider. Your doctor may order tests to rule out a bleeding disorder, including a test for VWD. Be aware that your test results could be affected by your menstrual cycle. Because of this, tests may need to be done at different points in your menstrual cycle. Also know that just because your mother or your sister may also have had heavy periods, this may not be normal for you. If you are having heavy periods with no known reason, you need to be tested for VWD. Not all health care providers test for VWD when a woman is having heavy bleeding. In December 2001, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a report to health care providers to consider VWD as a possible cause for heavy menstrual bleeding in women. ACOG now recommends testing for VWD when:

• a woman is having heavy menstrual bleeding with no known cause;
• an adolescent is having heavy menstrual bleeding without other cause (testing should be done before starting any hormone therapy like birth control pills);
• hysterectomy for heavy menstrual bleeding is being considered. 

Adapted from the United States Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services.

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