Causes of Vaginal Bleeding After Sex, Menopause & Periods

Uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are benign growths in the wall of the uterus and most often appear during childbearing years. Fibroids are almost never associated with cancer.

Those at higher risk include black women and women who started their periods at a young age. Other risk factors are vitamin D deficiency, poor diet, obesity, drinking alcohol, and family history of fibroids.

Fibroids can cause pelvic pressure and pain, severe menstrual cramping, and heavy menstrual bleeding that leads to anemia. Quality of life is diminished due to the chronic pain and discomfort. Though fibroids don't always make it impossible to become pregnant, infertility and pregnancy loss may occur as well as pre-term delivery.

Fibroids can be diagnosed through a routine pelvic exam or ultrasound in a doctor's office.

A gynecologist can prescribe various medications to ease the symptoms and regulate the menstrual cycle. There are also a number of surgical techniques, some minimally invasive, to shrink or remove the fibroids while leaving the uterus in place. Hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, is an option in some cases.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: vaginal bleeding, pelvis pain, abdominal cramps (stomach cramps), painful periods, irregular period

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition in which a woman's ovaries do not correctly release one egg cell per month (ovulate) as is normal. Instead, the egg cells remain on the surface of the ovary and fluid-filled cysts form around them.

The cause is not entirely known, but PCOS can be caused by significant weight gain because that brings about hormonal imbalance and insulin resistance. There may also be hereditary factors.

Symptoms include very irregular and abnormal menstrual periods. There may be signs of excess male hormones such as acne, facial and body hair, or even male pattern baldness.

Untreated PCOS can lead to infertility, complications of pregnancy, abnormal uterine bleeding, depression, and endometrial cancer.

Diagnosis is made through symptoms, pelvic examination, blood tests, and ultrasound.

PCOS is often treated with birth control pills, which suppress ovulation, regulate the monthly cycle, and decrease male hormone production. Maintaining normal body weight can often help the condition.

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is the general term for a bacterial infection of a woman's reproductive organs.

PID is most often a complication of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. However, it is possible to get PID from other causes.

Any woman can be affected. It is most often found in sexually active women under age 25, especially those who have had PID before, have multiple partners, and/or douche frequently.

Symptoms include fever, lower abdominal pain, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, pain and/or bleeding during sex, and pain on urination.

Untreated PID can cause infertility due to damaged tissue in the reproductive tract, as well as chronic pelvic and abdominal pain. Unprotected sex partners will be infected as well.

Diagnosis is made through symptoms, pelvic examination, vaginal and cervical swabs, and urine tests.

Treatment is with a course of antibiotics. Be sure to finish all of the medication as directed, even when you begin feeling better.

To prevent PID, have all partners (male or female) tested for STDs and avoid unprotected sexual contact.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: fever, abdominal pain or unusual vaginal discharge, vaginal discharge, nausea or vomiting, vaginal bleeding, pelvis pain

Symptoms that always occur with pelvic inflammatory disease: fever, abdominal pain, or unusual vaginal discharge

Urgency: In-person visit

Ovulation pain (mittelschmerz) or midcycle spotting

Mittelschmerz is a German word that translates as "middle pain." It refers to the normal discomfort sometimes felt by women during ovulation, which is at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle.

Each month, one of the two ovaries forms a follicle that holds an egg cell. The pain occurs when the follicle ruptures and releases the egg.

This is a dull, cramping sensation that may begin suddenly in only one side of the lower abdomen. In a few cases, there may be vaginal spotting. Mittelschmerz occurs about 14 days before the start of the next menstrual period.

Actual Mittelschmerz is not associated with nausea, vomiting, fever, or severe pelvic pain. These symptoms should be evaluated by a medical provider since they can indicate a more serious condition.

Diagnosis is made through patient history.

Treatment requires only over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the pain. An oral contraceptive will stop the symptoms since it also stops ovulation.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: abdominal pain (stomach ache), last period approximately 2 weeks ago, vaginal bleeding, bloody vaginal discharge, pelvis pain

Symptoms that always occur with ovulation pain (mittelschmerz) or midcycle spotting: last period approximately 2 weeks ago

Urgency: Self-treatment

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue that normally forms the lining of the uterus – the endometrium – also begins growing on the outside of the ovaries and fallopian tubes. This out-of-place endometrium still thickens and bleeds each month, causing pain, scar tissue, and adhesions.

Risk factors include short menstrual cycles that begin at a young age, with menopause at an older age; never giving birth; uterine abnormalities; family history; and alcohol use.

Symptoms include severe pelvic pain, cramping, and excessive bleeding during menstruation. There may be pain during sexual intercourse and sometimes during bowel movements and urination. Diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and bloating are also common, as is difficulty becoming pregnant.

Endometriosis can be confused with other conditions, such as pelvic inflammatory disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Permanent infertility can occur with untreated endometriosis.

Diagnosis is made by pelvic examination, ultrasound, and sometimes laparoscopy.

Treatment involves over-the-counter pain relievers and hormone therapy, including contraceptives. Surgery may be done to remove endometriosis tissue. As a last resort, removal of the ovaries and the uterus may be recommended.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: vaginal discharge, abdominal pain (stomach ache), vaginal bleeding, pelvis pain, painful periods

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Endometrial polyp

Endometrial polyps are noncancerous growths in the uterine cavity. Associated symptoms include spotting and bleeding during or after sexual intercourse.

You should speak with your primary care physician or OB/GYN about these symptoms.

Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy, or tubal pregnancy, means that a fertilized egg has not implanted in the uterus as it should. Instead, it has attached elsewhere – usually inside one of the fallopian tubes.

The condition is caused by scarring and damage to the fallopian tube from pelvic inflammatory disease or injury; by hormonal imbalance; or possibly by abnormal development of the fertilized egg. Other risk factors include smoking, use of an IUD, and use of fertility drugs.

Early symptoms include light vaginal bleeding, pelvic discomfort, and sometimes referred shoulder pain. Later symptoms include sudden severe pain on one side of the lower abdomen, vaginal bleeding, shoulder pain, and fainting.

The fallopian tube cannot accommodate a growing pregnancy. Eventually it will rupture, causing uncontrolled bleeding within the abdomen. If ectopic pregnancy is suspected, take the patient to the emergency room or call 9-1-1.

Diagnosis is made through pelvic examination, blood tests, and ultrasound.

Treatment almost always requires surgery, though in some cases medications can be used.

Prevention involves avoiding pelvic inflammatory disease by always practicing safe sex.

Cervical polyp

Cervical polyps are noncancerous growths in the cervical canal. Associated symptoms include spotting and bleeding during or after sexual intercourse.

You should speak with your primary care physician or OB/GYN about these symptoms.

Can stress cause vaginal bleeding?

No, stress cannot cause vaginal bleeding. Stress can, however, cause an earlier or later menstrual cycle and cause bleeding in line with a new cycle. If you have new mid-cycle bleeding and have not consulted a clinician, you should seek medical evaluation. It may be a sign of anything from a sexually transmitted infection (STI) to fibroids, to a pregnancy, or it may have no definable cause.

Why am I bleeding between my periods?

Bleeding between periods can be caused by serious or benign causes. The most dangerous causes often involve pregnancy. A failed pregnancy, a pregnancy in which the egg implants in the fallopian tube, disconnection of the placenta from the uterus, or damage to the uterus can all cause bleeding. If you suspect any of these causes, you should seek medical evaluation as soon and as safely as possible. Otherwise, uterine fibroids, tumor, blood thinners, ruptured ovarian cysts and gynecological infections, and changes in contraceptive drugs can cause spotting.

Is vaginal bleeding an early sign of pregnancy?

No, vaginal bleeding is not an early sign of normal pregnancy. If you are pregnant and experience vaginal bleeding, you should visit your OBGYN for evaluation. Vaginal bleeding can be caused by many things other than pregnancy, including sexually transmitted infections, uterine growths called fibroids, and certain types of cancers.

Why am I still spotting after my period ends?

Continuous bleeding after a period can be caused by a many things. Most commonly, an abnormally long period may have no discernible cause. If it does not recur, it may require no further investigation. Continuous spotting may be a sign of a disorder in coagulation caused by either medication or a genetic disorder. It may also be a sign of infection of the vagina or cervix.

Why am I experiencing vaginal bleeding after menopause?

Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be due to medications, hyperplasia of the uterus, or some types of uterine cancer. Certain medications containing estrogen or progesterone can cause either hyperplasia or an increase in the amount of tissue in the uterus, which may cause bleeding or an excess sloughing off of tissue both of which will be seen as vaginal bleeding.

Questions your doctor may ask about vaginal bleeding

• Are you sexually active?
• Do you use birth control beside condoms?
• Do you bleed after having sex?
• Have you ever had any surgeries?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.