Blood Disorders Bleeding Disorder Types, Causes, and Treatments By Amber Yates, MD Amber Yates, MD LinkedIn Twitter Amber Yates, MD, is a board-certified pediatric hematologist and a practicing physician at Baylor College of Medicine. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 01, 2021 Learn more</a>." data-inline-tooltip="true"> Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Douglas A. Nelson, MD Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD LinkedIn Douglas A. Nelson, MD, is a board-certified oncologist and hematologist who previously served for 13 years as a physician in the US Air Force. Learn about our Medical Review Board Learn more</a>." data-inline-tooltip="true"> Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Nick Blackmer Fact checked by Nick Blackmer LinkedIn Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact-checker, and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in consumer-oriented health and wellness content. Learn about our editorial process Print A bleeding disorder, sometimes called a coagulopathy, is a condition that makes you more likely to bleed than the average person. The body cannot form a clot properly. This involves one of the parts of our coagulation (bleeding and clotting) system. Siam Pukkato / EyeEm / Getty Images The coagulation system should be in balance—not too much bleeding but also not too much clotting. One part of the process involves the platelets, a type of blood cell. The second part is found in the liquid portion of blood, called coagulation factors. People sometimes refer to people with bleeding disorders as “free bleeders.” Symptoms The symptoms of a bleeding disorder can vary greatly. Not all patients with bleeding disorders will have all of these symptoms. Frequent or prolonged nosebleeds Recurrent or prolonged bleeding of the gums Excessive menstrual periods referred to as menorrhagia as well as excessive bleeding postpartum (after delivery) Prolonged bleeding after a needle stick (blood draw or injection like a vaccine) Excessive bleeding during or after surgery that requires additional efforts to stop bleeding Large palpable bruises Just because you may experience one of these symptoms does not mean you necessarily have a bleeding disorder. You should discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. Causes Inherited: Some bleeding disorders like hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease are inherited, meaning the person is born with the disease.Liver disease: The coagulation factors are made predominantly in the liver. People with severe liver disease are unable to produce enough coagulation factors and therefore are more likely to experience bleeding.Vitamin K deficiency: Several of the coagulation factors require vitamin K to function correctly so people who are vitamin K deficient are more likely to have bleeding.Anticoagulation therapy: People on anticoagulation therapy (medications that prevent clotting) are at increased risk of bleeding.Platelet disorders: If the platelets cannot function properly, they cannot form a proper clot, which may result in bleeding. Types Hemophilia: Probably the most well known bleeding disorder is hemophilia. People with hemophilia are missing one of their coagulation factors. The name of their type of hemophilia depends on what factor is missing. The most common type is hemophilia A; these patients are missing factor 8 from their coagulation system. There is also hemophilia B (factor 9 deficiency) and hemophilia C (factor 11 deficiency). Hemophilia is inherited (passed down in families). It involves the Y chromosome so men are predominantly affected. People with hemophilia can have significant bleeding from injuries or spontaneous (without injury) bleeding. Von Willebrand disease: Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder in the world. It is estimated that 1% of the population has some form of Von Willebrand disease. VWD is also inherited but both men and women can be equally affected. The amount of bleeding can vary greatly depending on what type of VWD a person inherits. Liver disease: When the liver is not functioning properly, it is unable to produce coagulation factors. Without these factors, patients can have significant bleeding. Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia): There are numerous reasons for why the platelet count is low including leukemia, a side effect of chemotherapy, and immune thrombocytopenia (where the immune system destroys the platelets). Platelet function disorders: In addition to low platelet numbers causing bleeding, if the platelets do not function properly, bleeding may occur. Treatment There are many possible treatments for bleeding in a person with a bleeding disorder. The treatment chosen is based on the cause of the bleeding disorder or the location of the bleeding. Factor replacement: Patients with hemophilia can infuse themselves with factor replacement products that can treat bleeding episodes. Nowadays, many patients with hemophilia infuse factor replacements on a regular basis to prevent bleeding episodes. Desmopressin (also identified by the brand name Stimate): Desmopressin is a replacement product for the hormone vasopressin. Taking desmopressin results in a temporary increase in von Willebrand antigen and factor 8 which may stop bleeding in patients with mild hemophilia A or von Willebrand disease. Platelet transfusions: If the platelet count is low or the platelets do not function correctly, a platelet transfusion may be given to prevent/treat bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma: Coagulation factors are found in the plasma (liquid component of blood). If a person is missing several different factors, like in liver failure, an infusion of fresh frozen plasma can be given. Vitamin K: If a patient if Vitamin K deficient, supplementation can be given. Antifibrinolytics: These medications prevent excessive bleeding by stabilizing clots. These are primarily used to control bleeding in the mouth or heavy menstrual periods. When to See Your Healthcare Provider If you think you have excessive bleeding, particularly if other people in your family do as well, you should discuss this with your healthcare provider. If your healthcare provider is also concerned, they may run preliminary blood work or refer you to a hematologist, a healthcare provider who specializes in blood disorders. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 11 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. MedlinePlus. Hemophilia. National Institutes of Health: Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. Factor XI deficiency. MedlinePlus. Von Willebrand disease. Kujovich JL. Coagulopathy in liver disease: a balancing act. Hematology. 2015;2015(1):243-249. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2015.1.243 MedlinePlus. Thrombocytopenia. MedlinePlus. Congenital platelet function defects. National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute. Bleeding disorders. MedlinePlus. Desmopressin. Goel R, Ness PM, Takemoto CM, Krishnamurti L, King KE, Tobian AAR. Platelet transfusions in platelet consumptive disorders are associated with arterial thrombosis and in-hospital mortality. Blood. 2015;125(9):1470-1476. doi:10.1182/blood-2014-10-605493 Only AJ, DeChristopher PJ, Iqal O, Fareed J. Restoration of normal prothrombin time/international normalized ratio with fresh frozen plasma in hypocoagulable patients. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2016;22(1):85-91. doi:10.1177/1076029614550819 World Federation of Hemophilia. Rare clotting factor deficiencies.