Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods Or After Sex

This page is about bleeding between periods or after sex. Find out about other kinds of unusual bleeding:

period problems
vaginal bleeding in pregnancy, including implantation bleeding, which can happen at the start of pregnancy
postmenopausal bleeding

See a GP or go to a sexual health clinic if:

you're bleeding between periods or after sex

Find a sexual health clinic

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

you have recently missed a period, have unusual vaginal bleeding, and have pain anywhere in your tummy (abdomen), including your lower tummy (pelvic pain)

This could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy and needs to be checked as soon as possible.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Causes of bleeding between periods or after sex

Bleeding between periods or after sex can have lots of possible causes.

Bleeding between periods

Common causes of bleeding between periods include:

hormonal contraception, such as the contraceptive pill
small growths in and around the womb, such as polyps or fibroids
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia

Bleeding after sex

Causes of bleeding after sex include:

changes to the surface of the cervix (cervical ectropion)
small growths on the cervix (polyps)
vaginal dryness
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia

Important

Bleeding between periods or after sex can sometimes be a sign of cancer. Always get any unusual bleeding checked by a GP or sexual health clinic.

What happens at your appointment

To find out what's causing bleeding between periods or after sex, a doctor or nurse will ask questions about your symptoms and medical history.

You may have tests including:

a pregnancy test
a blood test
a test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), this may involve a urine test or taking a small sample of fluid from your vagina using a cotton bud (swab)
an examination of your vagina and cervix

Any treatment you need will depend on what's causing the bleeding.

If further tests are needed, you may be referred for an ultrasound scan, colposcopy or hysteroscopy.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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