FFP 356 | Bleeding Disorders in Women | Heavy Bleeding | Menorrhagia | Dr. Fiona Bethea & Jhon Velasco

Today's episode is about an important topic that hasn't yet been addressed on the podcast: bleeding disorders. Find out how bleeding disorders affect women, and why they often go undiagnosed. You won't want to miss my interview with Dr. Fiona Bethea and Jhon Velasco.

Dr. Fiona Bethea is a Health Scientist on the Bleeding Disorders Team in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch of the Division of Blood Disorders (DBD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She joined DBD in 2009 and served as the project coordinator and technical advisor for a study of hemophilia inhibitors, a serious treatment complication. Since 2016, she has worked with community partners to develop evidence-based health promotion and education programs to reduce and prevent complications of bleeding disorders. She also collaborates in the monitoring and evaluation of the Community Counts bleeding disorders surveillance program. Dr. Bethea has been privileged to serve this community and contribute to the scientific evidence base to help prevent and reduce complications of bleeding disorders. She received her PhD in Epidemiology at Georgia State University. She also has a BS in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and an MPH in Global Health, Community Health and Development from Emory University.

Jhon Velasco is the Manager of Education and Training at National Hemophilia foundation, where he focuses on women with bleeding disorders, the Spanish speaking community and mental health. He earned his Masters in Health Education from Columbia University, where he focused on health education focusing on marginalized communities. A consistent theme in his career has been the development, implementation and analysis of new and existing public health projects for a variety of international communities, specifically undeserved populations. A common theme among these projects is his commitment to working with individuals and groups to improve their lives through education, mentorship and empowerment. Jhon is also a certified yoga and meditation instructor, having practiced throughout the Americas, Europe and South East Asia.

Today's episode is sponsored by the Fertility Awareness Mastery LIVE 8 week group coaching program! We start on May 4th! Will you be joining us? Click here to register now!

Topics discussed in today's episode:

• Dr. Bethea's background and what drew her to the study of bleeding disorders

• Jhon's background and what drew him to the study of bleeding disorders

• What are bleeding disorders

• How a woman would detect she had a blood disorder in terms of her menstrual cycle

• Signs or symptoms of bleeding disorders

• Signs that a woman has a bleeding disorder over other health related causes

• Types of screenings that would take place to rule out bleeding disorders

• Importance of tracking your menstrual cycle in determining if you have a bleeding disorder

• Steps to follow if you are trying to differentiate a bleeding disorder versus a heavy menstrual cycle

• What is Von Willebrand disease, the different types and how it can affect the menstrual cycle

• What is Hemophilia and the most common symptoms

• What is a joint bleed

• The most common bleeding disorders

• Treatment for women after being diagnosed with a bleeding disorder

• Bleeding disorders are heriditary

Connect with Dr. Bethea & Jhon:

You can connect with Dr. Bethea on LinkedIn and John on LinkedIn.

Resources mentioned:

• https://betteryouknow.org
• Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship (FAMM) Class of 2021

• The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack

• Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook

• Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• FFP 246 | Heavy Flow | Managing the Complexities of Menstruation | Amanda Laird
• FFP 230 | Essure Problems | The Bleeding Edge | Angie Firmalino and Amanda Rusmisell
• FFP 127 | What Does a Normal Period Look Like? | How Much Am I Supposed To Bleed During My Period? | Lisa | Fertility Friday

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs

This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now!

The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook

This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.