Post coital bleeding (bleeding after sex) is common and usually benign, but it does requires thorough history and exam and perhaps additional testing. Some of the common reasons for bleeding after sex can include:
- “cervical polyps
- endometrial polyps
- endometriosis
- uterine leiomyomata
- Cervicitis or cervical lesions
- pregnancy
- vaginitis
- endometrial cancer
- coagulopathy” (Smith, 2008)
Studies:
- Tarney, C. M., & Han, J. (2014). Postcoital bleeding: a review on etiology, diagnosis, and management. Obstetrics and gynecology international, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ogi/2014/192087/
“Postcoital bleeding can be an annoying complaint for patients and a worrisome symptom for providers due to the risk of underlying malignancy. Despite being a common gynecologic problem, there is large diversity among gynecologists on the management of postcoital bleeding [55]. Unlike abnormal uterine bleeding or the management of abnormal cytology, there are no recommendations from governing bodies on the management of postcoital bleeding. Patients presenting with postcoital bleeding require a full history and physical examination to help in developing a differential diagnosis to guide evaluation and treatment. Although most patients with postcoital bleeding do not have underlying malignancy, providers must pay close attetion to ensure that appropriate screening tests are up-to-date. Physicians should also be aware that a large portion of women presenting with postcoital bleeding will not have an obvious source for their bleeding; however, as long as malignancy is ruled out, most of these women’s symptoms will naturally resolve in premenopausal women.?”
Reference
- Smith, R. (2008). Netters Obsetrics & Gynecology ( 2nd ed.). Elsevier: Philadelphia, PA.
