Vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex: symptoms and causes

Bleeding from your vagina between periods or after sex can have a lot of different causes. It's not usually serious, but always get it checked by a doctor.

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

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.

Vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex