Join CDC in spreading awareness of bleeding disorders among adolescents.

In the United States, as many as 1% of women, girls, and other people with the potential to menstruate have a bleeding disorder, and many are unaware of their condition. Bleeding disorders are conditions where blood does not clot normally, making it harder for bleeding to stop. Some examples of bleeding disorders include von Willebrand disease and hemophilia.

Heavy bleeding during periods (also called heavy menstrual bleeding) is often one of the most noticeable symptoms of a bleeding disorder. Yet it can be hard for tweens and teens to know whether their periods are heavy, especially if they feel that is normal for their bodies. They may not realize there is a medical reason behind heavy periods, such as having a bleeding disorder.

Other signs of a bleeding disorder include frequent or hard to stop nosebleeds, bruising often with little to no injury, bleeding from a cut or scrape that takes a long time to stop, and heavy bleeding after a medical or dental procedure.

It is important that tweens and teens

If it is a bleeding disorder, treatment is available to help them live their lives to the fullest and prevent excessive bleeding episodes!