Bleeding Disorders

What is hemophilia?

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder that prevents your blood from clotting properly. You may experience sudden unexpected bleeding or severe bleeding following injuries or surgery. If your doctor is unable to determine the cause of bleeding concerns, we can conduct thorough testing to help diagnose your condition. 

Blood typically contains many proteins called clotting factors that help stop bleeding. If you have hemophilia, you have low levels of one of Factor VIII (8) or Factor IX (9). The lower the level, the greater the severity of bleeding. Sometimes bleeding can occur within your joints, causing arthritis or chronic pain. With proper care from our dedicated team of hematology specialists, you can avoid serious health issues that sometimes occur with a bleeding disorder.

Hemophilia in women

As a female, if you carry the hemophilia gene or have any symptoms of the disorder, you’ll need the care of a highly trained hematologist. The Hematology Treatment Centers at Novant Health provide medical care and surrounding support services to help prevent serious problems.

This care is especially important if you become pregnant. Our team of specialists will work closely with your OB-GYN provider. Our hematology specialists offer prenatal genetic testing to diagnosis hemophilia before your baby is born. This is critical to avoid injury to your child during delivery and avoid serious bleeding for you after delivery. 

Hemophilia therapy and support

It’s rare, but you can develop hemophilia later in life due to an abnormal immune reaction or response. While we don’t usually know why it happens, it can be related to blood cancer or pregnancy. With the right therapy, this type of hemophilia can be resolved allowing you to get back to the activities you love.  

The doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and clinical pharmacists at Novant Health Hematology work together to provide comprehensive care in our bleeding disorders clinic, sometimes referred to as a Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC). In collaboration with the St. Jude Affiliate at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital, we also can provide lifetime care as young adults transition from pediatrics to the adult clinic.   

Learn More About Hemophilia

What is Von Willebrand disease?

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder, and you are typically born with it. It is caused when the blood does not clot properly. Blood contains many proteins called clotting factors that help stop bleeding. Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) is a protein that helps platelets stick together and stick to an injury site like glue. When VWF does not work like it should or if there is not enough VWF present, you can experience abnormal bleeding.     

While some people living with VWD have minor but annoying bleeding, others can experience severe complications, especially after surgery or after delivery of a newborn. Symptoms may include nose bleeding, easy bruising, and heavy bleeding with dental procedures or after surgery.     

Von Willebrand Disease in women

 
VWD is one of the most common bleeding disorders affecting women and can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, recurrent fetal loss, and severe bleeding after childbirth. The experienced specialists at Novant Health Hematology work closely with your obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine to make childbirth a safe and comforting experience for you. 

What is a platelet disorder?

Platelets are blood cells produced in the bone marrow. They are your first line of defense against bleeding. Platelets stick together to form a plug at the site of an injury and activate your clotting system to build a more permanent patch so your injury can heal. If platelets do not work correctly or if there are not enough platelets, bleeding does not stop as it should.  

With a platelet disorder, you may experience gum bleeding, nose bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding, easy bruising or hemorrhages under the skin (petechiae). Sometimes bleeding can be severe or life-threatening.   

Platelet disorders can be inherited but are more commonly caused by medications. Inherited conditions can cause low platelet number or abnormal platelet function. Some medications, including ibuprofen and aspirin, also can affect platelet function, so it's important to receive care from a hematology specialist.   

Platelet Disorder Support Association

Platelet disorder treatments 

At Novant Health Hematology, we treat all types of Thrombocytopenic Purpura, or bruising from low platelets. (“Purpura” means bruising; “thrombocyte” is another word for “platelet,” and “thrombocytopenia” means low platelets.) You'll have access to dedicated hematology specialists who offer the most advanced procedures to treat even the rarest forms of platelet disorders. 

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) is a rare condition in which your body perceives your own platelets as foreign. Your body then makes an antibody that signals the immune system to dispose of them. Your platelet count can vary from mildly low to dangerously low.  

There isn’t a test for diagnosing ITP, so we first rule out any other explanation for your low platelet count such as liver disease, viral infections like Hepatitis and HIV, evidence of bone marrow failure in other blood cells, or medications that could cause low platelets.  

ITP can be a challenging condition to treat, so you may undergo one or more options, including: 

• Immune suppression with steroids, either prednisone or dexamethasone.  

• Treatment options that induce the bone marrow to make more platelets, used if steroids are not enough or if we cannot stop steroids without platelets decreasing again.  
• Aggressive immune suppression with antibody treatment.   
• Chemotherapy, used rarely for difficult cases.   

Receive the support you need.

Living with ITP can be challenging as it tends to get better and worse again with no apparent reason. We’re here for you with a dedicated team of experienced doctors, nurses, and other staff to provide compassionate support and the multidisciplinary care you need. New treatment options are under investigation, and we stay on top of the latest research to ensure you have access to the most advanced treatments.