Bleeding After Sexual Intercourse

About the Symptom

Bleeding during or after sexual intercourse can be as little as spotting or light staining of discharge. In some cases it can be heavy like a period. This is also called postcoital bleeding and it is considered abnormal.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Lower abdominal pain
• Intermenstrual bleeding

Possible Causes

Generally, Bleeding after sexual intercourse can be related to:

• Chlamydia Infection

  A sexually transmitted infectious disease. It can cause abnormal vaginal or penile discharge and pain in the pubic area, but most infections have no symptoms. Chlamydia infection can also cause infertility and ectopic pregnancies and can be transmitted to the throat and rectum.

• Trichomoniasis

  Infection of the vagina by a parasite called Trichomonas. The disease is sexually transmitted but often does not cause any symptoms in men.

• Cervical Cancer

  Cancer of the cervix (entrance to the womb) or uterus. Risk factors include infection with viruses (HPV, HIV), smoking, and age. Regular Pap smear testing is recommended for women of childbearing age for early detection.

• Gonorrhea
• Atrophic Vaginitis
• Cervical Polyp
• Candidal Vulvovaginitis (Yeast Infection)
• Cystitis

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Bleeding after sexual intercourse may be related to these serious diseases:

• Sexual Trauma

  Genital trauma meaning injury to the genitals, can occur for a variety of reasons. Most often caused by sports injuries, accidents such as on a bicycle, or vigorous intercourse. Tears or injuries can also occur with childbirth. Sexual assault should also be considered.

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you bleed during or after sex?
• Have you experienced bleeding during or after sexual intercourse before?
• How long have you been experiencing bleeding during or after intercourse?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• ACOG Patient FAQ - Abnormal Bleeding

  https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/abnormal-uterine-bleeding

• Management of Acute Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Nonpregnant Reproductive-Aged Women

  https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/04/management-of-acute-abnormal-uterine-bleeding-in-nonpregnant-reproductive-aged-women

• Postcoital Bleeding: A Review on Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086375/

• Lindner LE, Geerling S, Nettum JA, Miller SL, Altman KH. Clinical characteristics of women with chlamydial cervicitis. Journal of Reproductive Medicine for the Obstetrician and Gynecologist. 1988;33(8):684–690.

  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3050073/

• Shapley M, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Jordan K, Croft P. The epidemiology of self-reported intermenstrual and postcoital bleeding in the perimenopausal years. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2013;120(11):1348–1355.

  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23530690/