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Director, Hemophilia Treatment Center and Hemostasis Program,
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Children's Hospital Of Michigan
Detroit, MI
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Is it safe for me to have a baby if I have von Willebrand disease (VWD)?
Pregnancy can be a challenge for women who have von Willebrand disease, because the condition increases the risk of life-threatening bleeding after childbirth. But, with a few precautions, most women who have VWD can have successful pregnancies. It is essential to talk with a hematologist and an obstetrician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies before you become pregnant or as soon as you become aware of the pregnancy.
As you probably know, when you have von Willebrand disease, your blood refuses to clot properly. Blood contains numerous proteins that help the body stop bleeding following a medical procedure or when you have an injury; one of these proteins is named von Willebrand factor (VWF). With VWD, you have low levels of VWF or VWF that doesn't work properly. You may also have low levels of another blood-clotting protein called factor VIII. As a result, blood clots might take longer to form and bleeding may take longer to stop.
There are three types of von Willebrand disease: types 1, 2 and 3. Patients with type 1 have very mild bleeding symptoms while those with type 2 or type 3 may have more problems with bleeding. Both von Willebrand factor and factor VIII tend to increase during the third trimester of pregnancy, but women with VWD can still have bleeding problems during delivery and for an extended time afterward as the von Willebrand factor levels come back to your "normal" levels in the 14 to 21 days after delivery. Talk to your hematologist about how to appropriately manage and treat your condition after childbirth. Speak with a genetic counselor regarding the inheritance of von Willebrand disease before you become pregnant.
In addition to talking to specialists before you get pregnant, here are some safety steps to take during pregnancy:
This resource was developed with the support of CSL Behring.