Is It Normal To Bleed After Intercourse?
As a sex and dating coach, I strive to provide my clients with the very best information about their sexual health and wellbeing. That’s why it’s important for me to stay in the know about what causes some of the most common sexual issues.
If you’ve ever done internet research about a medical issue, you know that it can be quite scary to find results that suggest that something could be really wrong with you. My goal in addressing the question of “Is It Normal To Bleed After Intercourse?” is to provide you with as much information as I can so you can make informed decisions about your sexual health.
So, is it normal to bleed after intercourse? The short answer to this question is “no”. You should not expect to bleed each time you have sex, not even the first time you have it. While the experience of bleeding after sex isn’t super common, it does happen sometimes and it can be caused by a wide range of issues from mild to severe.
If you experience bleeding after sex, take a moment to determine the severity of your personal situation by asking yourself these two questions to rule out the most common causes of vaginal bleeding after sex: “Was the sex I just had rough in any way?” and “Where am I in my cycle?”.
Rough sex can create slight abrasions of the vaginal wall and lead to bleeding right after sex.
Another cause for bleeding after sex could be spotting. Spotting can occur throughout your cycle, but you may start to see it more towards the start of your period. If you don’t already, I recommend tracking your cycle with a cycle-trackers like Eve or Daysy. That way you can quickly look into how close you are to starting your period.
Other Causes of Bleeding After Intercourse
If you have been able to rule out rough sex and spotting, the next thing to do is think about some of the potential medical causes of bleeding after sex.
I asked Dr. Rachel Gelman of Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center to weigh in on this subject. Dr. Gelmen is a pelvic floor physical therapist which means she specializes in addressing medical concerns specifically involving the pelvic area of the body.
Dr. Gelman explains that “There can be many reasons [for bleeding after intercourse]: An infection, lack of lubrication, certain skin conditions, cervical polyps and in some cases it can be a sign of cervical or vaginal cancer.”
What You Should Do
It would be very difficult to determine the exact cause of the bleeding on one’s own. “If someone experiences post-coital bleeding they should see a healthcare provider, such as their primary care clinician who may refer them to a gynecologist or urogynecologist” says Gelman.
“They can do and examination and determine the cause of the bleeding which would dictate the best treatment plan.” Dr. Gelman emphasized that you should seek medical attention from a healthcare provider right away if you experience bleeding after intercourse to rule out anything serious.
While it can be a very scary thing to bleed when you are not expecting to, it’s important to remain calm and try to eliminate the most common causes of vaginal bleeding after sex first. If you can rule these out, the next step should be to contact your healthcare provider so that they can help you identify what’s going on and put you on a course to treatment.
Your health is important. Know that bleeding after sex isn’t something you have to endure. In fact, it could be something that needs medical attention. Listen to your body and take care.
I’m Myisha Battle, a certified sex and dating coach who helps people answer the questions they have about their sex lives. To learn more about my coaching services and decide if you would like to work with me, click here.
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