What is a bleeding disorder?
More than 2.5 million women in the United States have bleeding disorders and don't know it.
Article Submitted by:
September 08, 2008
A bleeding disorder is a health problem that makes it hard for a person to stop bleeding. Normally when a person is hurt, the body forms a blood clot to stop the bleeding quickly. This clotting process, called coagulation, changes blood from a liquid to a solid state. For blood to clot, the body needs a type of blood cell called platelets, and blood proteins called clotting factors. In people with bleeding disorders, the blood platelets or clotting factors do not work correctly or are in short supply. So, these people bleed longer than normal. With medicine, people with bleeding disorders can lead full and active lives.
Bleeding disorders tend to run in families and can be especially hard to spot in women. More than 2.5 million women in the United States have bleeding disorders and don't know it.
Are there different types of bleeding disorders?
Yes, there are many different kinds of bleeding disorders. The two most common are von Willebrand Disease (VWD) and hemophilia.
