Causes of spotting after a period

Light bleeding shortly after an expected period may be leftover menstrual blood or a temporary change in ovulation. Starting, stopping, missing, or changing hormonal contraception can also disturb the usual bleeding pattern. Bleeding can follow sex when vaginal or cervical tissue is irritated.

Other possible causes include pregnancy-related bleeding, chlamydia or another infection, cervical changes, endometrial polyps, and uterine fibroids. Cervical cancer and womb cancer can present with bleeding between periods, but spotting has many non-cancerous explanations. The pattern alone cannot identify the cause.

Record when the bleeding starts, whether it follows sex, its colour and flow, and any pain, discharge, fever, dizziness, or missed period. Check whether contraception was taken as directed. If pregnancy is possible, take a home pregnancy test at an appropriate time and seek clinical advice about the result and bleeding.

Arrange a routine appointment if spotting repeats, continues, begins after menopause, or represents a clear change from your normal cycle. A clinician may discuss medicines and contraception, perform a pregnancy or infection test, examine the cervix, or recommend imaging according to your history.

Get urgent medical help for heavy bleeding, fainting, marked weakness, severe or one-sided pelvic pain, shoulder-tip pain, fever with worsening pelvic pain, or bleeding during a possible pregnancy. These features need prompt assessment because blood loss, infection, or a pregnancy outside the uterus may require immediate treatment.

Ask whether your bleeding pattern could relate to contraception, pregnancy, infection, a cervical issue, or a change inside the uterus. You can also ask which examination or tests fit your symptoms, how to manage bleeding meanwhile, and what change should trigger urgent reassessment.