Why am I Bleeding After Sex? Reasons and Next Steps

Bleeding after sex is quite common with most people experiencing it at least a few times in their lifetime, it can still cause concern especially if you're experiencing heavy bleeding or if it happens every time you have sex.

The good news is that in most cases it’s perfectly normal. However, there are some instances where bleeding after sex could be a sign of an underlying medical condition or infection.

If you are concerned, your first step should always be to talk to your doctor.

How common is bleeding after sex? Common

What to do? If it’s been happening for less than a month, wait and watch.

Why am I bleeding after sex?

Medical reasons for bleeding after sex:

Some of the common reasons for bleeding after sex are:

• an infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is most often a complication of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) however, it is possible to get PID from other causes.
• a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Having sex while having an STD can sometimes trigger bleeding. People with HPV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea have been known to exhibit vaginal bleeding as a symptom.
• cervical ectropion (also known as cervical erosion), where there is an inflamed area on the surface of the cervix
• cervical or endometrial polyps (benign or non-cancerous growths in the womb or the lining of the cervix)
• polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is when the egg cells remain on the surface of the ovary and fluid-filled cysts form around them.
• in rare instances, bleeding after sex can be a sign of cervical or vaginal cancer.

Other reasons for bleeding after sex:

• tears caused by friction during sex
• vaginal dryness caused by reduced vaginal secretions
• ovulation spotting
• residual menstruation bleeding

Common characteristics of bleeding after sex

The following symptoms can present with bleeding after sex:

• pelvic or vagina pain during or after sex
• itching or burning sensations
• burning during urination

Bleeding after sex with no pain?

Most of the time, bleeding after intercourse without pain is more related to some pathology. It is important not to ignore bleeding after sex.

When should you see your doctor and/or gynecologist about vaginal bleeding?

If you are experiencing bleeding after sex and fall in any of these groups, you should seek medical advice;

• if you are over 50 and have gone through menopause
• at any time during pregnancy
• if you have had previous abnormal cervical smear results

Otherwise, if the bleeding is sporadic and minimal then you can wait for a couple of months to see if it clears up on its own.

It's important to remember that bleeding after sex is not always a sign of something serious — it could just mean that you're ovulating or there is a small tear.

Don't worry if this happens once in a while; however, if you are bleeding after menopause, during pregnancy, or have had an abnormal cervical smear result, you should see your doctor.