According to the study
Postcoital Bleeding: A Review on Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management / Obstetrics and Gynecology International
, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology International, up to 9% of women experience bleeding after sex. To understand whether you should see a doctor, it is important to carefully monitor your body’s signals.
When is blood after sex normal?
It all depends on the amount and frequency of bleeding. According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
According to OB/GYN Nicole Manert, light spotting that occurs infrequently or once is normal. You may notice red spots on the bed, underwear, or between your legs. But if the bleeding is regular or accompanied by painful sensations, it is better to consult a doctor.
There are some cases where bleeding does not signal a serious health problem.
Vaginal dryness
If you don’t produce enough natural lubrication, friction during sex can damage sensitive vaginal tissue and cause bleeding. According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
obstetrician-gynecologist Felice Gersh, sex may be uncomfortable or painful.
Vaginal dryness can be caused by:
Taking hormonal contraceptives
According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
Nicole Manert, spotting between periods or bleeding after sex may be caused by hormonal contraception that is new to you. Some spirals contain
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolitan
progesterone, which is slowly released over five years and keeps the lining of the uterus very thin. Because of this, there is light bleeding after sex.
Usually after a few months the body gets used to it and the bleeding stops. However, this does not always happen, so if you notice that after taking a COC or installing an IUD, you often bleed, go to the doctor. He will help you choose alternative means of protection.
Rough sex
Rough movements during sex increase friction and can injure the vagina. Hence the bleeding. The London Clinic therapist Pixie McKenna adds
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolitan
: Sex in new positions, intimate piercings of a partner, or practices that you are not used to can cause the same effect.
Sex after a long break
Pixie McKenna explains that bleeding once after a long break is normal. Most often this occurs due to micro-tears in the vaginal tissue. The main thing is to make sure that the next sex in the near future does not end in the same way. In this case, it is better to undergo an examination by a gynecologist.
When blood after sex is a reason to see a doctor
Sexually transmitted infections
Pixie McKenna claims
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolitan
that blood after sex can signal an STI, even if you have not noticed other symptoms. According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
Felici Gersh, most often the blood indicates an inflamed cervix due to infection, which can bleed due to friction. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and herpes can lead to this. Therefore, if you have had unprotected sex and notice bleeding, it is better not to hesitate to see a gynecologist.
Inflammation of the pelvic organs
They often appear
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
due to undiagnosed STIs. Sometimes, due to inflammation, bleeding and light spotting appear not only after sex, but also right during it or between menstruation.
According to
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolitan
Pixie McKenna, pelvic inflammation is most often caused by chlamydia, and a little less often by gonorrhea, mycoplasma, ureaplasma and other diseases. In such cases, in addition to blood, a woman may be bothered by pain in the pelvic area, unusual discharge and its smell.
Polyps of the uterus and cervix
Polyps are growths that appear on the cervix or inside the uterus. According to Felice Gersh, polyps have many blood vessels that feed them. They are the ones that can bleed if they are touched during penetrative sex.
In the case of polyps, it is better to consult a doctor to find out why they appeared. Often polyps are not treated at all
Uterine polyps / Mayo Clinic
– they disappear on their own. But if the growths are bothersome, you may be offered medication or surgical removal.
Bacterial vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis / Mayo Clinic
is a disease that changes the microflora of the vagina. Nicole Manert states
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
that sometimes the disease causes inflammation and irritation, which leads to bleeding.
In addition to bleeding after sex, bacterial vaginosis may have the following symptoms:
However, bleeding is not the most common symptom of bacterial vaginosis. Most people are not bothered by the disease.
Thrush with complications
According to
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolitan
Pixie McKenna, if the thrush is severe and also affects the vulva, but you continue to have sex, this can cause bleeding. The cause is trauma to the inflamed and irritated external genital organs. However, the specialist adds that this happens extremely rarely.
Uterine fibroids
Fibroids are benign tumors formed from the muscle tissue of the uterus. They usually grow
Uterine fibroids / Office on Women’s Health
on the wall of the uterus, can be the size of a pea or a grapefruit. According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
Filichi Gersh, formations can bleed during sex if they are completely or partially in the uterine cavity.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a cancer of the lower part of the uterus, which connects to the vagina. According to
Cervical Cancer Symptoms / National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute, in the early stages the disease may not bother women at all. But when cancer spreads, bleeding is one of the main symptoms. During sex, the affected tissues become irritated. According to
7 Reasons You’re Bleeding After Sex / Health
Filichi Gersh, the bleeding is usually painless and not very heavy.
Cervical ectropion
Ectropion is an eversion of the mucous membrane of the cervical canal. Sometimes the disease is called
Cervical Ectropion / NHS
also cervical erosion, although it is considered obsolete. Pixie McKenna explains
Bleeding after sex: Doctors explain the possible causes of light spotting after sex / Cosmopolian
The connection between bleeding and ectropion is as follows: the mucous membrane of the cervix protrudes and becomes irritated due to contact with it. That is, if a partner touches the mucous membrane during penetration, blood may bleed after or during sex.
Cover: Carolina Villa / Burning Cellar
2023-09-24 07:03:15
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