Women's Health
Why do I bleed after sex?
Ask the doctors
Q. I've noticed blood on my sheets after sex. Why might this happen?
A. If you're not menstruating at the time, bleeding after sex can be alarming, though some of its possible causes are minor. A top contributor is vaginal dryness, which is common among women after menopause due to declining estrogen levels and can also cause the vaginal walls to become thinner and more fragile. But bleeding after sex can also stem from inflammation from yeast or other vaginal infections, including sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. Cervical polyps — small, typically noncancerous growths on the cervix — can also bleed from the chafing of vaginal intercourse.
Far less likely to cause bleeding after sex are gynecological cancers affecting the cervix, uterus, ovaries, or vagina, or postsurgical bleeding after a pelvic procedure. (You should get your doctor's okay before resuming sex after surgery.) See your doctor about any unusual or unexpected vaginal bleeding, whether it occurs after sex or at other times.
Image: © Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images
About the Authors
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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