Women with bleeding disorders

Abstract

Diagnosis of the genetic status and assessment of potential clotting factor deficiency in haemophilia carriers are performed more easily nowadays. However, delays in providing those diagnosis and appropriate management are often reported despite increased availability of genetic techniques and improved awareness that carriers may have bleeding experiences. Women with von Willebrand disease (VWD) and rare factor deficiencies (RFD) may bleed during pregnancy and following childbirth and in some cases may experience adverse foetal/neonatal outcomes. This review describes the evolution of practice, unmet needs and options for both girls and women in families with haemophilia as well as the clinical and laboratory characteristics during pregnancy and recommendation for the delivery and the postpartum follow-up in women with VWD and RFD.