But if your first sexual experience is long past and you notice bleeding after sex, you should have it checked out. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. While some go away without treatment, medication or a minor procedure can resolve other problems.
When you have vaginal bleeding after having sex it is known as post-coital bleeding. If you have vaginal bleeding and it is not due to your period, see your doctor. Normally it is nothing to worry about but, in some cases it could be a sign of something more serious. Normally you should only have vaginal bleeding when you have a period, but if you have irregular periods, you may not be sure if the bleeding is normal or not. If you are not sure if your bleeding is part of a period, see your GP to discuss this. In girls who have not started having periods, any vaginal bleeding is not normal.
If you have a vagina, you might bleed because the penetration tears the hymen. The hymen is a membrane near the opening of your vagina. Your hymen may already have a hole in it by the time you have sex for the first time. Think about it: How else would period blood come out? If your hymen is totally closed, you have a rare condition called an imperforate hymen.
It is normal to bleed after sex if it your first time or if it has been awhile since your last sexual experience. However, if this is not the case, then bleeding after intercourse can be caused by trauma to the vagina, menstruation, a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease, or a cervical polyp. Read below for more information on causes and treatment options for bleeding after sex.