Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Possible causes of vaginal bleeding after sex include:

  1. Cervical cancer
  2. Cervical ectropion, a condition in which the inner lining of the cervix protrudes through the cervical opening and grows on the vaginal part of the cervix
  3. Cervical polyps — noncancerous (benign) growths on your cervix
  4. Cervicitis
  5. Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer)
  6. Friction during sexual intercourse
  7. Genital sores that result from sexually transmitted infections, such as genital herpes or syphilis
  8. Inadequate lubrication or foreplay
  9. Injury to the uterine lining (endometrium) during intercourse, especially in women taking oral contraceptives
  10. Menstruation
  11. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  12. Trauma from sexual abuse
  13. Vaginal atrophy , also called genitourinary syndrome of menopause
  14. Vaginal cancer
  15. Vaginal dryness
  16. Vaginitis

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Jan. 11, 2023

See also

  1. Genital warts
  2. Vaginal atrophy