A revolution for women with bleeding disorders

Women with bleeding disorders – let us support you on your journey

Each question below contains resources designed for whatever stage you may be experiencing in your bleeding disorder journey. Explore, learn, and connect with whatever stage you feel you identify with most.

Concerns

Am I bleeding too much?

Diagnosed

What else can I learn?

Menstruation

How can I prepare?

Pregnancy

What can I expect?

Aging

What comes next?

Hemophilia (A & B)

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder, less common than VWD. There are two main types of inherited hemophilia: Hemophilia A, the most common type, is caused by a deficiency of factor VIII, one of the proteins that helps blood to form clots. Hemophilia B is caused by a deficiency of factor IX. This type is also called Christmas disease. Women can be carriers of the hemophilia gene and also have hemophilia.

Learn more

Link Source: Canadian Hemophilia Society

von Willebrands Disease (VWD)

The most common inherited bleeding disorder, VWD occurs in around 1 in 1000 individuals worldwide. VWD can be caused by genetic mutations that result in low levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF), or VWF that does not work properly. VWF plays a crucial role in blood clotting, meaning people with VWD can experience problems with excessive or prolonged bleeding. There are three types of VWD: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. People with Type 1 VWD, the most common form, have low levels of VWF. People with Type 2 VWD have VWF that does not work properly. People with Type 3 VWD have very low levels of VWF, is more severe and the rarest form of VWD.

Learn more

Link Source: Canadian Hemophilia Society

Platelet Function Disorder

Many platelet function disorders may be mild so many women go undiagnosed. Depending on the type of platelet function disorder platelets may not stick to the walls of damaged blood vessels, may not clump together at the site of the injury to the blood vessel, or may not form a proper surface so that other blood factors can make a fibrin clot.

Learn more

Link Source: Canadian Hemophilia Society

Could I have a bleeding disorder?

Take the Self-BAT. The Self-Administered Bleeding Assessment Tool is a questionnaire developed by Dr. Paula James, a hematologist out of Kingston Ontario, designed to help those who have bleeding concerns determine if they may have a bleeding disorder by assigning them an overall bleeding score to share with the general practitioner.

Do you ever feel like your periods are too long or too heavy?

Do your gums bleed frequently when you brush your teeth?

Do you have frequent nose bleeds?

Do you bruise easily?

Take the test

TALK SERIES

The Flow is a female focused podcast presented by Heroixx and in partnership with Hemophilia Ontario. It was created to help lead the revolution in women’s bleeding disorder care by putting their voices at the forefront, educating through guest speaker talks and patients’ lived experiences.

View Talk Series

Talking with the Dad of an Adolescent Menstruator with a Bleeding Disorder

Join us as we talk with Emil Wijnker, a dad of adolescent menstruators with bleeding disorders. Emil shares his experience of having a bleeding disorder and of being a dad of daughters with bleeding disorders. He offers some advice to other dads with adolescent menstruators...