Is it normal to bleed after sex?

It’s common, and it’s not usually serious, but it isn’t something to ignore. The NHS says bleeding from the vagina after sex can have lots of different causes and should always be checked by a doctor.

A UK review found that, at any one time, up to 9% of women have bleeding after sex. The most common causes are harmless, but some, such as an STI, need treatment.

The NHS lists these causes of bleeding after sex:

• changes to the surface of the cervix (cervical ectropion), which are harmless and common in younger women, in pregnancy and in women on the contraceptive pill
• small growths on the cervix (polyps), which are usually non-cancerous
• vaginal dryness
• STIs, such as Chlamydia

Less often, bleeding after sex can be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), thinning of the vaginal lining after the menopause, or a skin condition such as lichen sclerosus. Read more in “Do STIs cause bleeding from the genitals?”

Yes. Chlamydia is the STI most often linked with bleeding after sex or between periods, and most people who have it don’t notice any symptoms. Gonorrhoea can cause bleeding between periods, although this is rare, and Mycoplasma genitalium has been linked with bleeding after sex.

Untreated STIs can also lead to PID, an infection of the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries. It can cause bleeding between periods or after sex, and pain in your lower tummy. PID is often caused by STIs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, although not always.

It’s possible, but it’s unlikely. Bleeding during or after sex is one of the symptoms of cervical cancer, but the NHS says these symptoms are very common and can be caused by many other conditions. A UK review estimated the chance that bleeding after sex is caused by cervical cancer at about 1 in 44,000 for women aged 20 to 24, rising to about 1 in 2,400 for women aged 45 to 54.

Cervical screening isn’t the right test if you have symptoms. The NHS says that if you’re worried about symptoms such as bleeding after sex, you shouldn’t wait for your next screening appointment, but get checked by a doctor.

• See a doctor about any bleeding after sex, even if it’s only happened once.
• After the menopause, get any bleeding from the vagina checked, even if it’s only a small amount.
• Get urgent medical care if you’ve recently missed a period and have unusual bleeding and pain in your tummy, as this could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.
• If you’re pregnant, get medical advice straight away about any bleeding. Call 999 if the bleeding is heavy, or you have severe tummy pain, pain in your shoulder, or feel sick, faint or dizzy.
• Call 999 if you have pelvic pain and heavy bleeding, or a sudden, sharp and intense pain in your lower tummy.
• If you have symptoms of PID, also call 999 if your pelvic pain is severe, getting worse, or hurts when you move or touch the area, or if you have a very high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery, feel dizzy or faint, feel or are being sick, feel very unwell, or have pain under your right ribs and in your right shoulder.

To find the cause, a doctor may do a pregnancy test, a blood test, an STI test and an examination of your vagina and cervix.

• If vaginal dryness is a problem, use a water-based lubricant before sex, or a vaginal moisturiser.
• Don’t use creams, lotions or moisturisers that aren’t made for the vagina, as they can cause irritation or an infection.
• Use condoms with new partners to lower your risk of STIs.
• In England, women aged 25 to 64 are invited for cervical screening every 5 years.

Read more in “Do you need a smear test if you are still a virgin?”

An STI test can rule out infections that can cause bleeding after sex. Better2Know offers:

• Comfort Screen: tests a urine sample for 8 infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma and Trichomonas, from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days (3 days for the home test). You can book it at one of our clinics.
• Platinum Screen: tests for 12 infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma, HIV and Syphilis, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days.

An STI test doesn’t replace a check by a doctor, who can examine your cervix. If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test. A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Can the contraceptive pill cause bleeding after sex?

It can make cervical ectropion more likely, which can cause bleeding after sex. Hormonal contraception can also cause bleeding between periods.

Can men bleed after sex?

Men can notice blood in their semen. The NHS says it’s not usually caused by anything serious and often goes away by itself in a few days or weeks, but it should be checked. Infections such as a UTI or an STI are common causes.

Can Chlamydia cause bleeding after sex with no other symptoms?

It can. Bleeding after sex or between periods is one of the symptoms of Chlamydia, and most people with Chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms at all, so it’s worth testing even if you feel fine.

Bleeding after sex is common and usually not serious, but it’s always worth getting checked. An STI test can rule out infections such as Chlamydia, and a doctor can check your cervix and find the cause.

Book a Comfort Screen at a clinic near you or order a home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 16 October 2020 and was last updated on 1 October 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. NHS, Vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex, reviewed 13 August 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/vaginal-bleeding-between-periods-or-after-sex/
2. Shapley M, Jordan J, Croft PR. A systematic review of postcoital bleeding and risk of cervical cancer. British Journal of General Practice, 2006;56(527):453-460. https://bjgp.org/content/56/527/453
3. NHS England, Cervical screening: programme and colposcopy management. 2. Management and referral guidelines for colposcopy, updated 9 July 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/2-providing-a-quality-colposcopy-clinic
4. NHS, Symptoms of cervical cancer, reviewed 4 September 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-cancer/symptoms/
5. Cancer Research UK, Symptoms of cervical cancer, reviewed 6 September 2023. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cervical-cancer/symptoms
6. NHS, Pelvic inflammatory disease, reviewed 17 December 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid/
7. NHS, Chlamydia, reviewed 24 October 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chlamydia/
8. NHS, Gonorrhoea, reviewed 16 December 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/
9. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, National guideline for the management of infection with Mycoplasma genitalium, 2025. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/sonietal2025britishassociationofsexualhealthandhivnationalguidelineforthemanagementofinfectionwith.pdf
10. NHS, Vaginal dryness, reviewed 24 July 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/vaginal-dryness/
11. NHS, Postmenopausal bleeding, reviewed 24 September 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/post-menopausal-bleeding/
12. NHS, Lichen sclerosus, reviewed 9 December 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lichen-sclerosus/
13. NHS, Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy, reviewed 17 February 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/common-symptoms/vaginal-bleeding/
14. NHS, Blood in semen, reviewed 23 September 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/blood-in-semen/
15. NHS, When you’ll be invited for cervical screening, reviewed 26 June 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cervical-screening/when-youll-be-invited/
16. British HIV Association, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and British Infection Association, Adult HIV testing guidelines, 2020. https://bhiva.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HIV-testing-guidelines-2020.pdf
17. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK guidelines for the management of syphilis, 2024. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/syphilis_2024.pdf