Understanding Fibrinogen Deficiency
Fibrinogen is another name for factor I. Fibrinogen helps platelets stick together to form a clot to prevent bleeding after an injury. Deficiencies in fibrinogen can be either quantitative (amount-related) or qualitative (function-related). The quantitative disorders include afibrinogenemia, where fibrinogen is completely absent, and hypofibrinogenemia, where fibrinogen is present but at levels too low to support normal clotting . In contrast, dysfibrinogenemia is a qualitative disorder in which the liver produces normal amounts of fibrinogen, but the protein doesn’t function properly in the clotting process. When the body produces less fibrinogen than it should, or if the fibrinogen is not working properly, the clotting process is disrupted, and a blood clot does not form. Afibrinogenemia is typically inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning both parents must carry the faulty gene for a child to be affected. For dysfibrinogenemia to be passed on to a child, only one parent needs to carry the gene. Factor I deficiency occurs equally in males and females.
Symptoms of Fibrinogen Deficiency
Afibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia are usually diagnosed in newborns who exhibit excessive bleeding from the umbilical cord and after circumcision. Easy bruising, nose and mouth bleeds, and soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, or tendons) bleeds are common. Joint bleeds can also occur. Women with afibrinogenemia typically have long, heavy menstrual cycles and difficulties carrying a baby to term because fibrinogen plays a role in embryo implantation. People with dysfibrinogenemia experience prolonged wound healing and are at increased risk of blood clots in the veins.
Diagnosing Fibrinogen Deficiency
Diagnosing fibrinogen deficiency is done through a variety of blood tests, including those that measure the amount of fibrinogen in the blood.
Treating Fibrinogen Deficiency
Fibrinogen concentrate is used to treat afibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia. Fibrinogen concentrate could cause blood clots in patients with dysfibrinogenemia. For these patients, treating with fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate is recommended.
Website:
References:
Last reviewed 08/18/2026
