The question of why there is bleeding after sex interests every woman who has encountered an alarming symptom. The situation can happen once or be repeated constantly. The reasons are varied. From trivial, easily removable problems to serious ones that require qualified treatment. Bleeding occurs from the vagina, its vestibule, cervix, and uterine cavity.
The hymen is torn during the first sexual intercourse. The girl feels discomfort, pain, blood after sex. A normal, explainable phenomenon. The situation may repeat itself several more times. Up to one month. Over time, the elasticity of the genital organ increases, the muscles of the uterus relax, and the genital organ is less injured. The blood disappears on its own. A few drops are released. If blood appears in increased quantities after sex, you need to consult a specialist.
The presence of blood after sexual intercourse may indicate the onset of menstruation. The situation is familiar to women with irregular menstrual cycles. Sexual activity tones the uterus, changes hormonal levels, and menstruation begins. Also, if it appeared immediately after the end of menstruation, this is also an understandable phenomenon. Remnants of the epidermis are released.
This also happens in women during menopause. Sex provokes a hormonal surge, the body reacts in this way.
Banal reasons for the appearance of blood after sexual intercourse
A common cause of minor bleeding is the use of sex toys. This includes a discrepancy between the sizes of the girl’s genital organ and the dildo. Also poor-quality manufacturing of intimate devices. Before starting use, you should run your hand over the surface to identify roughness, irregularities, bumps, and other flaws. A manufacturing defect can cause blood to appear. The same situation occurs with the natural discrepancy between the partners’ genital organs.
The cause of blood after sexual intercourse is often an insufficient amount of natural lubrication. This situation occurs if:
The problem is easily solved. You can use a special intimate lubricant. Spend more time on foreplay.
Another common reason for the appearance of blood after sexual intercourse is excessive activity of the partner, hard sex. The girl develops minor injuries, ruptures that begin to bleed. You should slow down the pace a little, contain the heat of passion. Injuries to the cervix provoke the formation of erosion. They do not require special treatment and go away on their own within 10 days, unless re-injury is excluded.
Blood after sex under the influence of contraception
Hormonal medications often cause unplanned bleeding. The presence of blood is possible on any day of the cycle in the first 3 months after starting to use birth control pills. The same situation may arise in the future. But it already indicates the improper functioning of the female body, hormonal imbalance. The question arises about replacing contraception.
Blood after sex can also occur when using a condom. If the girl’s vagina is not moisturized enough or there is an allergic reaction to the condom material.
The reason for the appearance of blood is the presence of an intrauterine device. The first 3 months after its installation are considered normal. Taking into account that droplets of blood do not turn into significant bleeding. The emergence of a similar situation in the future already indicates alarming symptoms due to the presence of an IUD:
- inflammatory process;
- spiral displacement;
- an attempt by the girl’s body to reject a foreign object.
The spiral will most likely have to be removed. Consider a different method of contraception.
Sexually transmitted diseases as a cause of bleeding
Many PPP diseases are asymptomatic at first. But girls carry out their own pathological transformations in their bodies. If blood appears after sex without pain or other alarming symptoms, chlamydia is most likely present. If you suspect sexually transmitted diseases, you must undergo examination. The final diagnosis will be determined by the doctor. He will also prescribe qualified treatment. Both partners must undergo therapy. During this time, abstain from sexual intercourse.
The reason for the appearance of blood is pregnancy
If a woman knows she is pregnant, blood after intercourse can greatly frighten her. Active actions of a partner can provoke a miscarriage in the early stages. When bleeding occurs, the chances of saving the child decrease every minute. You need to call an ambulance.
If a girl does not know about her pregnancy, she will perceive the bleeding as the beginning of her period. In most cases, the uterus cleanses itself. Sometimes the help of a gynecologist is required when particles of the embryo remain inside the uterus.
Sudden bleeding may indicate. In this case, after the appearance of blood, the girl’s health rapidly deteriorates. If help is not provided, she may lose an ovary or die.
Gynecological diseases
If blood appears after sex not for the first time, you should think about the presence of gynecological diseases. A common cause is benign, malignant neoplasms in the cervix.
Cyst
A benign tumor appears for various reasons. The main one is infection. If the cyst is small, it is treated therapeutically and removed with liquid nitrogen. If the situation is complex, a surgical method is used to eliminate the cause of the pathology. A cyst can exist for a long time without any special symptoms. If blood appears after sex not for the first time, there is a high probability of its presence.
Erosion on the cervix
Often appears in young girls. It reveals itself by insignificant specific discharge and pain in the lower abdomen. During sex, the erosive area can become injured and blood appears. With erosion there is never bleeding. A few drops after sexual intercourse with further disruption of the menstrual cycle. They are treated with medication and cauterization. The procedure is virtually painless and lasts about 5 minutes.
Cervical cancer
A benign tumor, which eventually turns into a malignant one, develops without any special symptoms at first. Even a doctor during an examination without a special study is unable to identify pathology. If blood appears after sex and there are no other painful symptoms, you need to visit a doctor for a serious examination. With cervical cancer, blood after sexual intercourse is one of the symptoms of the disease, which, unfortunately, women and girls pay little attention to. Especially if all this does not lead to bleeding.
Inflamed e tion
In the presence of inflammatory processes in the uterus, the lower abdomen and lower back hurt, the temperature rises, and specific discharge is present. Initially, they are simply abundant with a transparent consistency. At a certain time, bleeding appears. And this time sometimes coincides with intimacy. After it, the woman notices specific discharge. Other symptoms of the disease develop later.
There are also situations when blood appears after sex by accident, just by coincidence. Any gynecological disease can be present in a woman’s body: uterine fibroids, endometriosis, endometrial polyps, which develops without any special symptoms.
Thus, blood may appear after sex for obvious reasons - tearing of the hymen, active sex, use of sex toys, it is necessary to carry out a washing procedure, use hydrogen peroxide if the wound is visible. It won't hurt to visit a gynecologist. Consulting a qualified specialist will not be superfluous. You also need to pay attention to your own hygiene. Its absence causes the growth of pathogenic bacteria, which provoke disruption of the vaginal microflora, reduce immunity, and provoke diseases. After sex, bleeding may occur. You should pay attention to your partner. Perhaps the blood in the vagina is from his genitals. In this case, he will have to be examined.
They can be very frightening, but loss of blood does not always mean miscarriage. Bleeding during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, is more common than you think. Therefore, it is important to know why they happen and what to do.
According to research, about 25% of women surveyed confirmed that they had bleeding during pregnancy, and in 8% it was quite heavy. Most cases occurred between weeks 5 and 8 and lasted no more than 3 days.
Of those who did bleed, only 12% of women experienced a miscarriage. A one-time discharge of blood occurs in many women, but there are also those who experience it periodically throughout pregnancy. may look like there may be drops, streaks or discharge similar to menstruation.
Bleeding during pregnancy: should you tell your doctor?
Yes. Any bleeding during pregnancy should be reported to your gynecologist immediately.
Any vaginal bleeding before the 24th week of pregnancy is considered a potential risk of miscarriage. After 24 weeks it is called antepartum hemorrhage.
Those who have a negative Rh factor should definitely consult a doctor within 72 hours after bleeding, as there is a suspicion that the baby’s blood may be mixed with yours. If mixing occurs, the mother's body may begin to produce antibodies against the child's Rh positive blood.
Positive Rh is much more common than negative Rh. For the first pregnancy, mixing the blood does not have any consequences, but in subsequent pregnancies the body may decide that it needs to attack the unfamiliar matter with antibodies if the child is Rh positive again.
Below are the most common causes of bleeding during pregnancy. Not all of them are scary and dangerous. During pregnancy, minor cramps and tugging sensations occur, and this is normal. But if bleeding is accompanied by severe pain and cramps, immediately seek medical help.
Implantation bleeding
Breakthrough bleeding
Some women experience what is called a breakthrough period, or when they should have had their period. Thus, such discharge appears at 4, 8, 12 weeks, respectively. They are often accompanied by the sensations you usually experience with your period, such as back pain, cramps, heaviness in the lower abdomen, feeling bloated and lack of energy.
Of course, because you're pregnant, your periods don't come, even though you think they should. During pregnancy, hormones prevent bleeding, but sometimes, when hormone levels have not yet reached their peak and cannot stop the period, “breakthrough” occurs—breakthrough bleeding.
This can continue for up to 3 months, and after that the placenta takes responsibility for the production of hormones by the ovaries. There are women who experience breakthrough bleeding almost all the time during pregnancy, and under constant medical supervision, they easily give birth to healthy babies.
Threatened miscarriage or miscarriage
According to research, a third of all pregnancies end in miscarriage (the medical term is spontaneous abortion). It sounds scary, but don't despair, as this number includes miscarriages in the very early stages, the first 12 weeks, when the woman may not even realize that she was pregnant at all.
This type of miscarriage often occurs due to fetal damage, that is, the woman’s body rejects the non-viable fetus.
If you've passed the 14-16 week mark, you can take it easy.
The wisest thing to do is to refrain from announcing your pregnancy to the world until you are 2 months pregnant. Naturally, you may be bursting with emotion and joy, but if a miscarriage occurs, it will be twice as painful for you to again report a failed pregnancy. Compassion is important, but sometimes it can only deepen your grief over your shattered dreams of being a mom.
Signs of a miscarriage include bleeding, cramps, and pain in the lower back and abdomen. Women often say they "don't feel pregnant" when they have a miscarriage or bleeding. The main signs of pregnancy disappear - nausea, breast tenderness and a swollen belly.
If you are bleeding and you feel any of the above, there is a risk that you have lost your baby. If you experience bleeding but don't feel like your pregnancy has stopped, there's a good chance it might be, but overall the baby is fine.
A miscarriage can also happen without bleeding, which is often called "miscarriage" when the fetus dies but is still retained inside your body. In this case, signs of pregnancy will disappear, but cardiac arrest in the fetus can only be determined using ultrasound. A curette may be needed to remove the dead fetus.
Bleeding after intercourse
Bleeding after sex is one of the most common causes of bleeding during pregnancy. This is completely harmless and is due to increased blood supply and softening of the cervix. Although this bleeding is not a serious cause for concern, you should still report it to your doctor. Be prepared for a very personal question about whether you've had sex recently.
This doesn't mean you should stop having sex, but you may need to reassure your partner that he won't harm the baby and that he is protected in the uterus, which is much higher than the vagina.
Ectopic pregnancy
Occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.
You may have severe pain in the lower abdomen on one side, or cramping pain, as well as weakness and nausea. The pain may go away suddenly if the tube ruptures, but will return after a few hours or days and feel even worse.
This situation is quite dangerous. An ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tubes and cause internal bleeding, which can lead to infertility. You may have to have your fallopian tube removed and end the pregnancy, but this does not mean you will have trouble conceiving in the future, as long as your second ovary and fallopian tube are healthy.
Placental bleeding
Another question you may hear at your doctor's appointment is whether you have had a scan and how the placenta is located.
Painless vaginal bleeding may result from abnormal placement of the placenta. Sometimes the placenta is located very low on the wall of the uterus, and sometimes it is located directly above the cervix. This is called placenta previa and occurs in about 0.5% of pregnancies.
It will inevitably lead to bleeding at some point in your pregnancy - usually after 20 weeks. There are varying degrees of severity of this condition, but all require repeat ultrasounds for an accurate diagnosis. To prevent the baby from being at risk, you may be advised to remain on bed rest or offered an induction or caesarean section if the placenta continues to attach to the cervix.
Another cause of bleeding later in pregnancy is placental abruption, which is when the placenta partially or completely separates from the wall of the uterus. This occurs in about 1 in 200 pregnancies. Symptoms include general severe pain and heavy bleeding. The bleeding may be visible or hidden in the uterus, which will be tense, firm, hard to the touch and very painful.
If you smoke, have high blood pressure, kidney problems or preeclampsia, you are at high risk of placental abruption. This condition requires urgent hospitalization, and depending on the severity of the bleeding, you may be prescribed bed rest, induction or caesarean section.
Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are masses of hardened muscle and fibrous tissue that can be found inside or outside the walls of the uterus. They can be both problematic and non-problematic during pregnancy - this primarily depends on the location of the fibroid and whether it is enlarging or not.
There is no consensus among doctors on this matter, but it is known that hormones produced during pregnancy can cause both a decrease and an increase in fibroids.
It is best to remove fibroids before pregnancy, as there is a chance that they will lead to an ectopic pregnancy, heavy bleeding during pregnancy, or miscarriage.
However, many women give birth without any complications. If you have fibroids, it is important to contact a specialist to understand your specific situation and determine the next steps. Avoid online self-medication as the matter is serious and should not be left to armchair experts.
What should I do if I'm bleeding?
If you are more than 20 weeks pregnant, consult your doctor immediately if you experience bleeding. Never use tampons if you experience bleeding during pregnancy; always take a gasket.
If the bleeding is minor and you are not in pain, still talk to your doctor or nurse. If the bleeding is heavy (stream or clots) and is accompanied by abdominal cramps, back pain and pain similar to menstruation, call an ambulance immediately.
It's understandable that you're upset, but try to remain calm and remember that bleeding happens during pregnancy, it's not an abnormality.
The blood belongs to you, not the baby, so continuing a completely healthy pregnancy and having a healthy baby is possible and most likely. Don’t be surprised if, with such complaints in the early stages (up to 12 weeks), you are advised to just watch and wait.
What to do if a miscarriage occurs
If you are experiencing a miscarriage, unfortunately, nothing can stop or prevent the process. Losing a child is always painful, disappointing and depressing, but the best thing you can do is take care of yourself physically and emotionally. It's not your fault that you lost your child, and there's nothing you can do to change it, but there are things that can help you feel more physically comfortable:
- Bed rest
- Paracetamol / Panadeine (drug for relieving cramps during menstruation)
- A heating pad or bottle of warm water on your stomach
- Tea and partner support
Along with the discharge, various lumps of tissue and an undeveloped fetus may come out, but soon the bleeding will stop. If the bleeding does not stop, you should immediately seek medical help.
Remember that in most cases, bleeding in early pregnancy occurs spontaneously, and after that, the pregnancy continues healthy and unharmed.
Pregnancy is a crucial period in the life of every woman. Often, during this period, a woman’s sexual activity decreases and the desire for intimacy decreases, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely avoid sex, and this is not necessary. But if strange discharge suddenly appears after intercourse, pregnancy may be at risk. There is no need to panic, but you just need to figure out what causes the nature of the mucus secreted.
The dark or light red color of the mucus secreted is a mixture of blood and vaginal mucus. This color is possible when the discharge is oxidized due to a changed composition of the vaginal microflora. Their appearance is possible at any stage, but especially often they occur when conception has just occurred and the woman may not even know that pregnancy has occurred. Bloody discharge does not always signal an alarm; perhaps this is a natural reaction of the body, so to speak, a protest to the changes that have occurred in a woman’s hormonal background.
It is considered normal if the secreted colored (opaque) mucus after the act appears in one of two cases:
- during implantation of the fertilized egg
- when the mucus plug comes out
Implantation is the process by which the fertilized egg passes from the fertilized egg into the endometrium (inner part of the uterus). The implantation of the fertilized egg occurs from the 7th to the 10th day after fertilization. During this process, minor damage to the blood vessels is allowed, which provokes the appearance of blood and, accordingly, coloring of the secreted mucus. Implantation is often completely painless and imperceptible, but if you had sexual intercourse on one of these days, pink spotting may appear after the act. Pregnancy proceeds without the risk of miscarriage if these signs disappear after 2-3 days.
Mucus plug - This is a protective reaction of the body aimed at preventing infections from entering the uterine cavity. The mucus plug is formed from the first days of conception. In the third trimester, when the uterus is already preparing for labor and becomes loose and enlarged, and also engorged with blood, partial or complete removal of the plug is possible.
After sex during this period, blood vessels often burst, which explains the appearance of colored mucus. If a woman does not experience any discomfort (no pain in the lower abdomen, in the uterus or in the lower back) and the brown bloody discharge disappears after 1-2 days, then intrauterine development is normal and there is no reason for a threat from this side. In this case, the mucus secreted may even have a thick, dark red tint - this is not a big deal if it stops quickly. A gynecological examination can cause a similar effect.
Pathological bleeding after sexual intercourse
The most crucial period during pregnancy is the first trimester. Pregnancy does not always go well, so it is imperative to monitor all the changes occurring in the female body. If bloody, no matter light pink or brown, discharge appears, you should immediately go to a gynecologist to clarify the situation. Otherwise, a dangerous outcome is possible, ranging from miscarriage to the development of pathological processes in the unborn baby.
If there is a threat of interruption of pregnancy
In the first trimester, with a lack of progesterone in the female body, the endometrium can reject the fertilized egg, which leads to damage to blood vessels and the appearance of abundant mucus, which can have various brown shades, from light to dark. The amount of mucus and the intensity of its color depend on the weakness of the blood vessels and their tendency to rupture, as well as on the severity of the threat of interruption of pregnancy. If there was mild pain before intercourse, and after sex it increased, and with it the amount of mucus secreted increased, you should urgently go to the gynecologist - if conception is desired, delay can lead to irreversible consequences.
When there is a threat, not only pink mucous masses are present, but also pain:
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness and weakness
- cramping or nagging pain in the abdomen, uterus, lower back
- just general feeling bad
With such symptoms, as a rule, hemostatic drugs are immediately administered, and progesterone in combination with bed rest is recommended.
With ectopic intrauterine development of the fetus
The fixation of the fertilized egg in the fallopian tube, and sometimes it can be in the abdominal cavity, on the ovary or directly on the cervix, leads to the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. In this case, there is no way to save the fetus - surgical intervention is necessary, in which the fertilized egg is removed: if the attachment occurs in the fallopian tube, then the tube is cut out and sutured around the edges, and if on one of the above organs, then the fertilized egg is cut out with part of the organ.
Ectopic intrauterine development of the fetus is not detected immediately, but only after some time. After sex, without even knowing about conception, a woman may experience heavy discharge, which can be light pink or dark pink or brown. The difference in the secreted mucus in this case is in its volume: it appears much more intensely than during implantation.
After sex during intrauterine conception, nagging pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region is painful and lasts longer than in the standard situation. This should also alert the woman.
With a non-developing (frozen) fetus
The fetus can freeze at any stage of the child's intrauterine development, but most often this occurs in the first and last trimester. A frozen fetus can be determined by ultrasound.
Symptoms of a frozen fetus:
- severe headache, frequent dizziness, fainting
- general weakness of the body
- intense or mild nausea, sometimes vomiting
- scanty dark pink discharge
They appear not only after sex, but also simply, in any phase of sleep or activity. The secreted mucous masses in this case are slightly different from other situations - the bloody discharge has an uncharacteristic bright pink, not red, but rather pink shades. In terms of abundance, the discharge is characterized by scarcity, but constant.
With placental abruption
Placental abruption usually occurs in the second trimester and occurs as a result of:
- individual pathological characteristics of a woman’s body
- excessive physical activity
- severe nervous stress
- poor nutrition
- environmentally unpleasant situation in the region
Depending on the extent of the placental tissue detachment, the secreted mucous masses can be colored either dark brown or light brown. Bloody masses of mucus are released according to an increasing principle, increasing all the time. In case of a large area of placental abruption, surgical intervention is necessary, because there is a high risk of threat to the woman’s life, not to mention the fetus. At the initial stage of detachment, pink bloody masses may appear, which appear after sex, but then they intensify and acquire brown tints.
In any case, if, after sex, mucous brown masses are released, it is necessary to monitor the development of the process and, if it continues for more than 2 days, consult a gynecologist for advice. Timely treatment will help save the unborn child and maintain the woman’s health.
Video on the topic
Why can there be spotting after sexual intercourse during pregnancy, when is this normal and when is it not?
What discharge during pregnancy is considered normal?
Regardless of whether a woman is pregnant or not, she always has a small amount of vaginal discharge, this is how the glands that are located there work. Usually they are practically invisible, without color or unpleasant odor, and do not leave significant marks on the laundry. During pregnancy, the amount of discharge may increase. However, they remain transparent or slightly cloudy. If the color, character and smell of the discharge have changed, and additional symptoms have arisen - itching, pain, swelling of the genital organs, then this is a reason to visit a doctor.
Blood after sex, reasons
If during or after sexual intercourse during pregnancy a slight discharge mixed with blood appears, this is not a deviation. Usually, blood can appear in the second half of pregnancy, when, under the influence of hormones, the vaginal walls and cervix become more loose and susceptible to mechanical damage. In this case, you need to reduce the intensity of sexual intercourse and choose positions when penetration is not deep. If the bleeding is profuse, then you need to see a doctor immediately.Pathological causes of spotting after sex
Bloody discharge after sex can be caused by:- Endometrial hyperplasia.
- Endometriosis.
- Taking hormonal contraceptives.
- Diseases of the partner, for example, inflammation in the urinary tract.
- Benign and malignant neoplasms.
- Pregnancy outside the uterus.
- Risk of miscarriage.
- Ovarian rupture or cyst.
How to understand spotting or bleeding (quantity, color, duration)?
Discharge and bleeding should be distinguished. When there is discharge, the amount of blood is very small, similar to smear or in slightly larger volumes. It stops quickly, and the color is not bright red, but dark shades. The bleeding does not stop quickly and, depending on the source, the blood may be scarlet or deep red.When spotting is normal:
in the first trimester
At the beginning of pregnancy, slight bloody discharge may occur due to the attachment of the fertilized egg in the uterus. This happens about a week after conception. In this case, nagging pain may occur in the lower abdomen. Lasts no more than a day, the discharge is almost invisible. In very rare cases, when the pregnancy is already ready, the last menstruation may occur, depending on when conception occurred.in the second and third trimesters
In the later stages there should be no discharge with blood. This can only happen if there is a threat of miscarriage or premature birth. An option for normal bleeding can only be the beginning of timely labor, when the mucus plug comes off.If the discharge after sex is pink or brown
Brown discharge may indicate detachment of the ovum in the early stages of pregnancy. Also, spotting of a similar color indicates an ectopic pregnancy and the threat of premature termination of pregnancy. Brown discharge also occurs when the placenta detaches or a hematoma appears on the uterus. If the discharge appears brown and profuse, then most likely you need to quickly call an ambulance and not wait for the morning or that it will soon become easier.Pink discharge usually indicates that the placenta has separated.
During all trimesters of pregnancy, normal discharge is clear, in small quantities, and has no smell at all. Any deviations from the norm, for example, the appearance of curdled discharge, gray, yellow or greenish in color, require treatment and the sooner you seek help, the greater the chance that the baby will survive and be born healthy.
When is sexual activity prohibited during pregnancy?
It is not recommended to have sex during pregnancy if there is increased activity of the uterus and there is a risk of miscarriage. You should also refrain from sexual intercourse if you have thrush or another infection, including your husband. Heavy bleeding is also a reason to avoid sex during pregnancy. You need to be careful if there is more than one embryo inside the womb.
When should you sound the alarm?
If there is heavy bleeding, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. These are alarming signs of an ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole or threatened miscarriage. The help of a specialist is also necessary if pathological discharge occurs - curdled, green or brown. At the same time, additional signs of infection appeared - pain, itching, redness, increased body temperature, swelling, and foul odor.Blood discharge after sex during pregnancy is not always pathological. If they are not abundant, not frequent and are not accompanied by other alarming symptoms, including pain, then there is no reason for concern. Otherwise, medical attention is necessary.
Pregnancy is a separate period in the life of every woman. After all, now she is responsible not only for her health, but also for her unborn child. Therefore, any changes in her condition provoke fear and panic in her. Women are especially worried about discharge during pregnancy after sex, which can have a different shade and smell. What can they signal? And is the occurrence of atypical discharge after sexual intercourse a sign of pathology? Now you will find out.
During sex, all women experience increased vaginal secretion, which has the following characteristics:
- There is no smell.
- Color – transparent or whitish.
- Consistency – liquid, slimy.
During pregnancy, under the influence of hormones, the glands located on the cervical canal become more active, which causes increased vaginal secretion. And during sexual arousal, it can be produced in very large quantities, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Moreover, if the pregnant woman has no pathological conditions, the release of vaginal lubrication is never accompanied by abdominal pain or other unpleasant symptoms. A woman in the “position” should be alerted by brown, yellow, green or bloody discharge after sexual intercourse, since their appearance may signal the development of serious pathologies that require immediate treatment. However, in certain situations, the appearance of bloody discharge can also be observed against the background of some natural processes occurring in the body. But even in this case, their occurrence is never accompanied by specific symptoms, and they go away on their own over a period of time.
These physiological processes include:
- Introduction of the embryo into the uterine cavity. This occurs in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 5 weeks) and is manifested by brown spotting. Their appearance is due to the fact that the walls of the uterus loosen - this ensures unhindered penetration of the fertilized egg into the organ, and it becomes vulnerable, as a result of which any mechanical impact (and during sex it also occurs) causes bleeding. But since the blood is released in small quantities, it has time to coagulate, which gives the vaginal secretion a brownish tint.
- Preparing the body for the upcoming birth. During this period, the uterus descends into the pelvis (this happens at 34–36 weeks of pregnancy) and is located very close to the birth canal. At the same time, its walls become loose and can be easily injured during sex, causing minor bleeding. But given that during this period, labor can begin at any time, the woman should understand that the appearance of watery discharge or copious mucous streaked with blood requires her immediate hospitalization. After all, these phenomena indicate leakage of amniotic fluid and the release of the mucus plug.
- Pseudomenstruation. They are very common in pregnant women. And they are observed mainly during the period when menstruation should begin. Sex in this situation is a kind of stimulant that provokes increased bleeding. But even in this case, it is short-term and is not accompanied by abdominal pain.
In addition, other factors may be the reason why blood suddenly began to bleed after sex during pregnancy, for example:
- Severe stress.
- A sharp change in climatic conditions.
- Taking certain medications.
If a woman discharges blood after sexual intercourse very rarely and is not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, then there is no need to worry about this. However, it is necessary to inform your doctor about this, since some pathological conditions can develop asymptomatically and make themselves felt only after intimate intimacy. But if a woman always has smearing after sex, then it’s impossible to sit and wait until everything goes away on its own, since this is no longer normal and requires medical intervention.
Signs of pathologies
Any pathological conditions must be treated immediately, as they can provoke uterine bleeding, bleeding, premature birth and spontaneous miscarriage. In addition, if a woman has infectious diseases, they can lead to infection of the fetus and the development of various pathologies in it. Therefore, any changes in the nature of vaginal secretions should not go unnoticed.
For example, if a woman constantly experiences dark brownish discharge, accompanied by nagging pain in the abdomen, then she should immediately visit a doctor, as such symptoms may indicate:
- Formation of erosion on the cervical canal.
- Formation of a polyp in the cervix.
- Premature placental abruption.
- Threat of miscarriage.
Erosion and polyps are dangerous not only because of their scanty bloody discharge, but also because of the high risk of developing cancer. But since these diseases can only be treated surgically, therapy is postponed until later in pregnancy or performed after childbirth. In the meantime, they require constant medical supervision. The appearance of discharge against the background of these diseases is caused by mechanical damage to the cervix during sexual intercourse.
Premature placental abruption and the threat of miscarriage are always accompanied by the appearance of a thick brown smear, which is accompanied by abdominal pain. At the same time, dark clots may be observed in the discharge itself, which indicate the progressive development of the pathology. If at this moment the woman is not hospitalized and does not receive proper treatment, this can lead to the death of the fetus and miscarriage.
The appearance of pink discharge is often caused by inflammatory processes occurring in the organs of the reproductive system. They may affect:
- Vaginal cavity (vaginitis).
- Uterine cavity (endometritis).
- Cervical canal (cervicitis).
If pinkish mucus is secreted, a woman must definitely go to the doctor and undergo a full course of treatment, since if this is not done, a bacterial infection may join the inflammatory process, which will give various complications, not only from the women’s health, but also from her unborn child.
If a pregnant woman notices that 1 to 2 hours after sex, yellowish or green discharge begins to come out of her vagina, having an unpleasant aroma and causing itching in the genital area, then she needs to immediately go to the doctor and get tested for bacterial culture, since such symptoms signal the development of an STD. Treatment is necessary, as they can negatively affect the development and formation of the fetus, as well as lead to the development of conditions incompatible with life.
Another pathology that can cause brown or red smear from the vagina. And this is a frozen pregnancy. It usually occurs in the first or last trimester and the following symptoms will help identify it:
- Headache.
- Feeling of rigidity in the abdomen.
- Nausea.
- Temperature increase.
- Lack of fetal motor activity (noted only in the last trimester of pregnancy).
- Brownish or pink spotting that gets worse after sex or vigorous physical activity.
If these symptoms occur, the pregnant woman must undergo an ultrasound. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then abrasion will be required, which involves cleansing the uterus from the fetus and adjacent tissues. If abrasion is not carried out, decay processes in the organ will be activated, which will provoke the development of sepsis or an abscess. And in such situations, complex surgical interventions are performed, after which it becomes difficult to get pregnant.
In some cases, women in the “position” experience spotting after sex due to hormonal disorders in the body that have arisen against the background of endocrine diseases. They also need to be treated, since such pathologies can lead to premature birth of a child or miscarriage. In this case, hormonal therapy is often prescribed, but this is done only after a thorough examination of the patient and study of her medical history.
Since hormonal changes occur during pregnancy, this can affect the state of the vaginal microflora. It can activate opportunistic microflora, which often causes the development of certain diseases, including thrush. Its symptoms become most pronounced after intimacy and intense physical activity. Among them are:
- Copious discharge of a white cheesy mass from the vagina (sometimes there may be bloody streaks in it).
- Sour odor in the intimate area.
- Itching and burning in the perineum.
- Hyperemia of the labia.
Unfortunately, thrush is a disease that cannot be completely cured, since its causative agents are part of the vaginal microflora. All that therapy comes down to is the relief of the symptoms of this disease. However, before giving birth, women with this pathology are prescribed a course of antifungal and antibacterial therapy to prevent infection of the fetus during its passage through the birth canal.
During pregnancy, various processes occur in the body that can provoke exacerbation of chronic diseases or the development of new pathologies. Therefore, women need to take care of their condition and pay special attention to vaginal discharge, since they are often the first to respond to the development of pathological processes in the body. And if their character has changed, it is necessary to immediately establish the exact reason for such a transformation and, if necessary, undergo a course of therapy. If a woman does not consult a doctor and self-medicates, this can lead to negative consequences.