Illness name: von willebrand disease
Description:
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common inherited condition that can make you bleed more easily than normal.
People with VWD have a low level of a substance called von Willebrand factor in their blood, or it does not work very well.
Von Willebrand factor helps blood cells stick together (clot) when you bleed. If there's not enough of it or it does not work properly, it takes longer for bleeding to stop.
There's currently no cure for VWD, but it does not usually cause serious problems and most people with it can live normal, active lives.
The symptoms of VWD may start at any age. They can range from very mild and barely noticeable to frequent and severe.
The main symptoms are:
In some people, there's also a small risk of problems such as bleeding in the gut (causing
bleeding from the bottom
) and painful bleeds into joints and muscles.
See a GP if you have symptoms of VWD, especially if someone else in your family has it.
If the GP thinks you might have a bleeding problem, they may refer you to a hospital specialist for
blood tests
to check for conditions like VWD. Tell your doctor if you have a history of it in your family.
If you've already been diagnosed with VWD, contact your specialist if:
Go to
A&E
if you have very heavy bleeding or bleeding that does not stop.
There's currently no cure for VWD, but it can usually be controlled with medicines and some simple lifestyle measures.
If you're bleeding, applying pressure to the wound (or pinching the soft part of your nose if you have a nosebleed) for a few minutes may be all you need to do.
Your doctor may also give you medicine to help stop bleeding when it happens.
There are 3 main medicines that can help stop bleeds:
These medicines can also be used before a procedure or operation to reduce the risk of bleeding. If you have severe VWD, you may need to take them regularly to help prevent serious bleeds.
If your doctor recommends medicine, talk to them about the best option for you and ask about the side effects of each medicine.
If VWD causes you to have heavy periods, speak to your GP or specialist about treatments to help control the bleeding.
These include:
Read more about treatments for heavy periods
If you have VWD, you should:
There are several types of VWD.
The main types are:
These 3 types are all inherited.
There's also a rare type that is not inherited called "acquired von Willebrand disease". This can start at any age and is usually associated with other conditions that affect the blood, immune system or heart.
VWD is often caused by a fault in the gene involved in the production of von Willebrand factor.
The type of VWD a person is born with mostly depends on whether they inherit copies of this faulty gene from 1 or both parents.
The chances of inheriting type 1 VWD can also be affected by other things, including
blood group
. People with blood group O are more often affected than people with blood group A or B.
This means it's not always easy to predict whether a child might inherit it from their parents.
Parents who are carriers of a faulty VWF gene may not have symptoms themselves.
Speak to your specialist if you have VWD and are thinking about having a baby. If you have a family history of VWD and think you might be affected, you should ideally have tests before you get pregnant.
You can have children if you have VWD, even if it's severe. But there's a risk of:
Speak to your doctor about your options if you're planning to have a baby. They may suggest
genetic testing
to see if your baby is at risk of being born with VWD.
You can also have tests towards the end of your pregnancy to check the level of von Willebrand factor in your blood. Medicine to help prevent bleeding during labour will be offered if your level is low.
You'll probably be advised to give birth in a specialist hospital in case there are any problems. Most women can give birth either vaginally or by
caesarean section
. It's rare for babies with VWD to have any problems with bleeding during birth.
If you have VWD, your clinical team will pass information about you on to the
National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS)
.
The NCARDRS helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat VWD. You can opt out of the register at any time.
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Page last reviewed: 02 September 2020
Von Willebrand disease
Symptoms of von Willebrand disease
When to get medical help
Treatment and lifestyle advice for von Willebrand disease
Treating and preventing bleeds
Treatments for heavy periods
General advice
Types of von Willebrand disease
How von Willebrand disease is inherited
Pregnancy and von Willebrand disease
National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service
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Next review due: 02 September 2023