Vaginal Bleeding After Sex

Vaginal bleeding after sex means bleeding during sex or just after having sexual intercourse, when you’re not menstruating or don’t expect to be menstruating. Vaginal bleeding after sex most commonly develops in women between the ages of 20 and 40.

Your cervix — the narrow, lower end of your uterus — is usually the source of vaginal bleeding brought on by sex, especially before menopause. Even if you have a healthy cervix, enough friction during sexual intercourse can cause bleeding. Inflammation of the cervix or some other abnormality can also result in bleeding.

In most cases, vaginal bleeding after sex is the result of harmless cervical changes, many of which don’t require treatment.