FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a bleeding disorder?

A bleeding disorder occurs when one of several vital blood proteins is missing. Without a complete set, clotting cannot happen and excessive bleeding into soft tissues and joints occurs. This leads to pain and, eventually, long term consequences such as arthritis, even death.

This need not happen. A child born today with a bleeding disorder can look forward to a normal, active life--but only with proper treatment. And that's what the Utah Hemophilia Foundation, together with the Hemophilia Treatment Center at Primary Children's Medical Center and the University of Utah, is all about.

Can I "catch" a bleeding disorder?

No. bleeding disorders are inherited. That is, they are carried in the body's genetic code. Hemophilia, the most widely known bleeding disorder, is carried by females on one of their X chromosomes and may be passed to their male offspring. Von Willebrand disease, on the other hand, is autosomal. That means it is carried on either the X or Y gene, and may be passed to both male and female offspring.

In one-third of all cases, however, there is no family history of the disease. The bleeding disorder occurs as the result of a new or spontaneous mutation.

Can a person with a bleeding disorder bleed to death from a minor cut?

No. That is a myth. So is the belief that a person with a bleeding disorder's blood flows faster. However, people with bleeding disorders experience problems with bleeding into their joints and soft tissues. This can be the result of trauma, but often occurs spontaneously.

Is there a cure?

Not yet, but researchers all over the world are working on it. Until then, there is treatment, but it's expensive. Clotting factor products are among the most costly medical therapies in the world. Total annual costs may exceed $100,000. Complications such as minor surgery cause costs to skyrocket even higher. Adequate insurance coverage is a must for a person with a bleeding disorder.