Hi,
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Bleeding during or after intercourse can be scary and embarrassing for some women to notice, especially when they have no idea why it is happening to them. Vaginal bleeding is always to be mentioned to your healthcare provider/doctor even though it is not always a sign of a serious medical condition.
Although many women do notice small amounts of blood immediately after sexual intercourse which is often more easily noticed when she goes to pass urine after sex or, the next day, in noticing small amounts of blood on the underwear, it is less common to notice more moderate or larger amounts of blood loss during sex itself.
Some of the common causes of bleeding during or after intercourse are:
1) Small amounts of bleeding that are noticed immediately after intercourse may be caused by small vaginal tears (also called âmicro-tearsâ) in the vaginal wall or even on the vulva (which is the outside part of a womanâs genitals). These lesions often heal within 1-3 days after intercourse. Further aggravation of these tears with more intercourse, masturbation, tampon use or other types of vaginal penetration (such as fingering) can worsen the bleeding.
2) Bleeding during or after intercourse can also be a possible sign of a sexually transmissible infection (STI) that could have caused irritation to or inflammation of the reproductive organs, such as the cervix and uterus. Often, STI-related bleeding also shows up as vaginal bleeding or discharge even on days when there is no intercourse at all. If these are suspected (especially when there are multiple sexual partners) a check with the healthcare provider is recommended.
3) Benign growths such as polyps and fibroid in the uterus may also be a cause for bleeding during or after intercourse and, again, this is an important reason why it should be brought to the notice of your healthcare provider as polyps and fibroids are something you cannot diagnose yourself.
4) In rare cases, even a bleeding disorder can be the root of vaginal bleeding so a thorough examination and workup with your healthcare provider or a second opinion if you continue to bleed during or after sex even if or after you receive a diagnosis or treatment is advised.
5) If you suspect blood to be present in semen (which is a possibility if all your investigations are normal), then a semen analysis would be necessary for your partner.
You should consider visiting your doctor/gynecologist at the earliest to have examination and further evaluation to look for the underlying cause. If structural issues and PAP smear have been normal, then infective causes should be ruled out by getting vaginal swab/smear test. If infective cause is detected, get your partner also treated simultaneously to prevent re-infection.
Take care.