1.

VON WILLEBRAND

 IS A BLOOD DISORDER IN WHICH THE BLOOD DOES NOT CLOT PROPERLY.

BLOOD CONTAINS MANY PROTEINS THAT HELP THE BODY STOP BLEEDING.
ONE OF THE PROTEINS IS CALLED VON WILLEBRAND FACTOR (VWF)

EFFECT

 WOMEN WITH VWD ARE AT RISK FOR SERIOUS BLEEDING AFTER DELIVERY.
DURING ANY PREGNANCY. THEBODY MAKES HIGHER AMOUNTS OF CLOTTING
FACTORS TO PREVENT BLEEDING. HOWEVER, THE HIGH LEVELS OF CLOTTING
FACTORS DURING PREGNANCY DROP BACK TO LOWER LEVELS AFTER
DELIVERY
 WOMEN WITH TYPE 3 VON WILLEBRAND DISEASE SEEM TO HAVE MORE
FREQUENT MISCARRIAGES (SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS), ESPECIALLY DURING
THE FIRST TRIMESTER. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT THESE MISCARRIAGES, RATHER
THAN BEING MORE FREQUENT, ARE SIMPLY MORE NOTICEABLE BECAUSE
THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVIER BLEEDING.

TREATMENT

 NO CURE IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR VON WILLEBRAND’S DISEASE, BUT

SOME OPTIONS CAN PREVENT OR STOP BLEEDING EPISODES. TREATMENT
TENDS TO TAKE THE FORM OF MEDICATION. SYMPTOMS ARE NORMALLY
MILD, AND TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH MILDER SYMPTOMS IS ONLY
NECESSARY DURING SURGERY, DENTAL WORK, OR AFTER AN ACCIDENT OR
INJURY
2. HEMOPHILIA B

 CHRISTMAS DISEASE, FACTOR IX DEFICIENCY, IS A SEX-LINKED

DISORDER, SO THE ACTUAL DISEASE OCCURS ONLY IN MALES. HOWEVER,
FEMALE CARRIERS MAY HAVE SUCH A REDUCED LEVEL OF FACTOR IX (ONLY
33% OF NORMAL) THAT HEMORRAGE WITH LABOR OR A SPONTANEOUS
MISCARRIAGE CAN BE A SERIOUS COMPLICATION IN THESE WOMEN

EFFECT

 MOTHERS WHO CARRY THE HEMOPHILI GENE ARE AT RISK FOR SERIOUS
BLEEDING AFTER DELIVERY. THIS IS BECAUSE THE HIGH LEVELS OF FACTOR
VIII DURING PREGNANCY FALL BACK TO LOWER LEVELS AFTER DELIVERY. IF
THE WOMAN HAS LOW LEVELS OF FACTOR IX, THEN SHE CAN BLEED AFTER
DELIVERY OR SURGERY, SUCH AS CESAREAN SECTION.

TREATMENT

- CARRIERS OF THE DISORDER NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED BEFORE PREGNANCY.

RESTORATION OF FACTOR IX LEVELS CAN BE DONE BY INFUSION OF FACTOR
IX CONCENTRATE OR FRESH-FROZEN PLASMA.