Why bleeding can happen between periods

A small spot and a heavier flow are both worth discussing when they are unexplained. The pattern, associated symptoms and life stage help guide which checks are appropriate.

Hormone shifts around ovulation can produce light spotting. Hormonal pills, injections, implants or an intrauterine system may also change the bleeding pattern, particularly after a change in use.

Chlamydia and other infections may inflame the cervix, sometimes alongside unusual discharge or pelvic discomfort. Polyps and fibroids can disrupt the womb lining. Cervical dysplasia, cervical cancer and womb cancer may present with irregular bleeding, so persistent symptoms need assessment rather than self-diagnosis.

Bleeding after sex can point the examination toward the cervix or vaginal tissue. After menopause, any vaginal bleeding is abnormal and needs medical evaluation.

Book an appointment with a gynaecology, primary-care or sexual-health clinician. If you could be pregnant, perform a pregnancy test and share the result, because this changes the conditions that must be considered.

Use a calendar or phone note to capture the dates, approximate flow, clots and whether bleeding happens after sex. Note cramps, pelvic pressure, discharge, fever, fatigue or light-headedness, along with your last normal period and current medicines.

The clinician may recommend an examination, infection test, blood work or imaging. Further viewing of the cervix or inside the womb is considered according to the history and initial findings.

Get urgent help for bleeding that rapidly soaks through period products, severe abdominal or pelvic pain, fainting, breathing difficulty, confusion or pronounced weakness. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint.

A missed period followed by unusual bleeding and one-sided or general pelvic pain requires urgent evaluation for ectopic pregnancy. Prompt care is also appropriate when bleeding is accompanied by fever or offensive-smelling discharge.

You could ask which causes fit the timing of your bleeding, whether your contraception needs adjustment, and whether testing for anaemia or infection is suitable. Ask how results will be communicated and what follow-up is needed if the first tests do not explain the symptom.