Women often experience symptoms besides ‘regular monthly’ bleeds. Women often may experience heavier and longer menstrual flows, which besides causing iron deficiency, weakness and fatigue can also be debilitating. Women with bleeding disorders are also more likely to experience more significant pain during their menstrual bleeding and they may also experience a small amount of internal bleeding during ovulation, which can cause abdominal and pelvic pain. Moreover, during ovulation, women with bleeding disorders are also more at risk of developing haemorrhagic ovarian cysts. The development of ovarian cysts in healthy women is a common and benign phenomenon. However, in women with bleeding disorders, they put the individual at greater risk of internal bleeding. This bleeding can be severe or even life-threatening, especially in carriers with very low clotting factor levels and may require urgent medical attention.
Women with bleeding disorders also suffer from endometriosis, a painful condition in which endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the uterus, forms in the abdomen or other parts of the body. Although we do not yet understand the cause of endometriosis, women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding are more at risk of developing this condition.
Other symptoms include:
- Frequent large bruises
- Frequent hard-to-stop nosebleeds
- Heavy bleeding after dental procedures or surgery.
If you think you may have a bleeding disorder, it is very important to get a correct diagnosis. You can be tested at the National Coagulation Centre (NCC) at St. James’s Hospital in Dublin. The centre can arrange tests to determine how long you bleed before your blood clots and various other blood tests. Your personal and family medical history will also be taken into consideration.
Contact Details for the National Coagulation Centre (NCC)
Phone: (01) 416 2141