Women and girls with bleeding disorders face significant diagnostic delays with median age of diagnosis ranging from 8 to 16 years compared to men and boys, despite similar age of symptom onset. This is a major concern, as women and girls with bleeding disorders are at increased risk for conditions including anemia, iron deficiency, and bleeding during pregnancy, as well as negative impacts on physical health and quality of life.

In addition, women and girls in general face greater barriers to accessing healthcare than men due to menstruation stigma, gender bias, and sexism. These factors contribute to underdiagnosis and under-reporting of women and girls in surveillance and medical databases, thereby exacerbating adverse health risks.

The WFH urges WHO and the Member States to include diagnostic and multidisciplinary care programs for women and girls with bleeding disorders as part of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.