Blood is made up of a number of substances (blood factors, plasma, etc.) that make it work properly. Normally, when a person gets a cut or injury, many of these factors come together to form a blood clot, which stops the bleeding. This process is known as clotting or coagulation.
If there isn’t enough of a specific factor in the blood or the factor doesn’t work properly, a clot can’t form to stop the bleeding. Without a proper clot, the bleeding lasts longer than normal. When the blood does not clot properly, it is known as a bleeding disorder or factor deficiency.
There are many different types of bleeding disorders, and most of them are inherited (congenital bleeding disorders). Fortunately, many of these factor deficiencies have treatment options.
von Willebrand disease (VWD)
VWD is the most common inherited, or congenital, bleeding disorder in humans, affecting men and women equally. People with WVD don’t have enough von Willebrand factor or their von Willebrand factor might not work properly.
Learn more about VWD or explore an overview of treatment options for von Willebrand disease.
Hemophilia
There are two types of hemophilia: Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B. Hemophilia A is the most common type of hemophilia. It is also known as classic hemophilia or factor VIII deficiency (FVIII deficiency) because it is caused by not having enough factor VIII in the blood.
Learn more about hemophilia A or explore these treatment options.
Hemophilia B
Hemophilia B, also known as Christmas disease, is caused by a deficiency of factor IX. Of all people with hemophilia, about 15% have hemophilia B. Learn more about hemophilia B or a treatment option for Hemophilia B.
Rare Bleeding Disorders
There are numerous clotting factors needed to form a blood clot, and a deficiency in any one of these can cause a bleeding disorder. Besides VWD and hemophilia, there are numerous rare factor deficiencies, or bleeding disorders, caused by a lack of a specific factor. Learn more about rare bleeding disorders and a treatment for factor I deficiency — the first and only fibrinogen concentrate.
Last Updated:
5/19/2010 11:20 AM