Bleeding during or after sex can come from vaginal dryness or a small tear, an infection, a polyp, or cancer or pre-cancer of the cervix or womb, and it has no normal length of time to wait out. healthdirect's advice is the same whatever your age: see your doctor if you bleed from the vagina after sex (healthdirect). For men, the matching question is blood in the semen, covered at the end of this page.

What counts as bleeding after sex?

Vaginal bleeding after sex is called post-coital bleeding (healthdirect). It is different from a period, which is a normal part of the menstrual cycle and usually lasts 5 to 7 days. Bleeding between periods, called intermenstrual bleeding, sometimes happens after sex (healthdirect).

What causes vaginal bleeding after sex?

healthdirect lists these causes of bleeding between periods and after sex:

  • polyps or fibroids in the uterus
  • pelvic inflammatory disease caused by sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HPV
  • cervical cancer, endometrial cancer or pre-cancerous conditions
  • injury or trauma
  • blood clotting problems
  • the start of perimenopause

Some medicines can also cause vaginal bleeding, including hormonal contraception, menopausal hormone therapy and blood thinners (healthdirect).

Can vaginal dryness cause bleeding after sex?

Yes. Dryness can lead to small tears in the vaginal tissue during sex. The most common cause is a lower level of oestrogen, after menopause, surgery to remove the ovaries, cancer treatment or weaning after breastfeeding; some antidepressants can also cause it. Lubricants and vaginal moisturisers can ease it and need no prescription; water-based lubricant during sex is a good start. When the cause is menopause, a doctor may suggest menopausal hormone therapy (healthdirect). Bleeding after sex still needs a check, even if dryness seems the obvious reason.

How long should bleeding after sex last?

There is no normal duration for it. None of the healthdirect pages we read gives a length of time after which it becomes a concern: bleeding after sex is simply on the list of reasons to see your doctor, so do not wait to see whether it stops. Keeping track of when it happens and how much you bleed helps your doctor (healthdirect).

When should you see a doctor?

See your doctor if you have vaginal bleeding after sex, regardless of your age, between periods, after menopause, or when you think you might be pregnant. Your doctor should always check for cervical cancer if you have ongoing or abnormal vaginal bleeding (healthdirect).

What will the doctor check?

Expect questions about when and how often the bleeding happens, a vaginal examination, tests for STIs such as HPV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, possibly a blood test, and sometimes an ultrasound or a referral to a gynaecologist (healthdirect). A cervical co-test checks for infection and abnormal cells in the cervix (healthdirect). The treatment plan depends on the cause: a doctor may prescribe antibiotics or antiviral medicines, hormone medicines or a medicine that helps the blood to clot, and some causes need a procedure or surgery.

What if a man bleeds after sex?

Blood in the semen is called haematospermia. It is reasonably common, in most cases it is not serious, and it usually goes away without treatment. Sex or masturbation can cause it, and in men under 40 infection is the most common cause. See your doctor about it, especially if you are over 40, it has happened more than once, you have lost weight without trying, or prostate cancer runs in your family (healthdirect).