Iron Deficiency in Women and Girls with Bleeding Disorders

Dr Zia is a pediatric hematologist specializing in Hemostasis Thrombosis at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. She completed her residency, pediatric Hematology-Oncology fellowship, and a Coagulation Fellowship from Wayne State University, Michigan, before joining UT Southwestern as faculty. She leads the Bleeding Disorders and Thrombosis Program at UTSW and is also one of the co-chairs of the Pediatric and Neonatal Scientific and Standardization Committee of the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. As a physician-scientist, the focus of her research is improving access to care for young women with bleeding disorders and understanding the long-term outcomes after pediatric venous thromboembolism. The National Heart and Lung Blood Institute of the NIH currently supports her research.  

Prof. Rezan Abdul-Kadir is a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, specialised in haemostatic disorders in women. She trained in obstetrics and gynaecology in London and accomplished an MD degree from University of London for her thesis on inherited bleeding disorders in women. She started the first Joint multi-disciplinary clinic for women with bleeding disorders in 2002 and has been leading the service at Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia Centre at the Royal Free hospital. The clinic is internationally renowned for its model of care, its research output in the field and as an international training centre. Her extensive research publications have provided evidence for the prevalence and variety of women’s bleeding disorders and their management, which have established an entire new subspecialty for provision of comprehensive care to this large group of women. She led several national and international guidelines and co-authored a book entitled “Inherited Bleeding Disorders in Women” first edition published in 2009; second edition in 2019. She is currently leading several multi-disciplinary research projects collaborating with international academic teams and scientists in the field of bleeding disorders in women. She has given presentations at numerous international congresses and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications. In addition to research and setting the service model, Prof. Rezan Abdul-Kadir has been in the forefront of advocacy for women’s issues in families with bleeding disorders. She led the establishment of “Women Bleed Too project” with the UK Haemophilia society in 2005; and has been chair /member of its medical advisory board since then. This project has become a model for increasing awareness and promoting wellbeing of women and has been replicated in the USA, Canada and in most of Europe.  She also plays a leading role in international medical societies, patients’ organisations and NGOs advocating women’s health issues in thrombosis and haemostasis. She is a co-founder and chair/co-chair of committees on women’s health for International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, World Federation of Hemophilia and European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders.

Dr Michelle Lavin is a Consultant Haematologist in the National Coagulation Centre in St. James’ Hospital, Ireland and a Principal Investigator in the Irish Centre for Vascular Biology in RCSI. She serves as a Co-Chair on the Von Willebrand Factor Scientific Subcommittee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) and on the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) Women and Bleeding Disorders Committee. Dr Lavin’s research focuses on improving diagnosis and care for women with bleeding disorders and the management of Von Willebrand Disease.