Nathan Connell Reflects on the Impact of COCs on VWD Patients Compared to Healthy People
Nathan Connell, Clinical Chief of Hematology at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, shared on LinkedIn:
”Navigating a bleeding disorder like von Willebrand Disease (VWD) can be challenging, especially when heavy menstrual bleeding is a major symptom.
Many patients use combination oral contraceptives (COCs) to manage this, but a key question has always been: “Does this affect my diagnosis?”
A recent scoping review and meta-analysis of 27 studies in Haemophilia Journal from Eve Justason, Anna Ishchuk, Benjamin P. Ott, Sophie Gibson, and Paula D. James sought to answer just that.
The researchers found that COC use did not significantly change von Willebrand factor (VWF) or factor VIII (FVIII) levels.
The meta-analysis of VWF% and FVIII% revealed no statistically significant difference between participants with and without COC use (VWF% Estimate: 2.62, p=0.4033; FVIII% Estimate: 2.99, p=0.4552).
These are important data for anyone who is faced with diagnosing VWD.
It provides crucial clarity by validating that COCs do not appear to interfere with the accurate diagnosis of VWD.
This is a vital piece of the puzzle for improving diagnostic certainty and ensuring appropriate management for individuals with bleeding disorders.”
Read the full article in Haemophilia Journal.
Article: Determining the Impact of Combination Oral Contraceptives on Von Willebrand Factor and Factor VIII in Healthy Patients and Patients With Von Willebrand Disease: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Eve Justason, Anna M. Ishchuk, Benjamin P. Ott, M. E. Sophie Gibson, Paula D. James
Stay updated on all scientific advances in the field of bleeding disorders with Hemostasis Today.
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:54Danny Gaskin: Nominations are Open for the BBTS Transfusion Practitioner Special Interest Group Award 2026
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:44Important Webinar on Care for Patients with iTTP – ISTH
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:21Tagreed Alkaltham: Some Risks Don’t Look Like Risks in Healthcare
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:16Sifat Jubaira: Effect of Prolonged Tourniquet Application
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:14Vivek Mahto: Understanding Deep Vein Thrombosis – Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:08Tareq Abadl: Heparin vs Warfarin
-
Feb 2, 2026, 17:07Mary Cushman: New Research on Aspirin Use in Pregnancy and Stroke Risk in Offspring
-
Feb 2, 2026, 16:52Aravind Palraj: Young Stroke is Never Just Stroke
-
Feb 2, 2026, 16:48Seyed Mohsen Jahromi Moghadam: Antithrombotic Therapy After Transcatheter Structural Heart Interventions