What should you know about continuous spotting after menstruation?

Light blood after a period may be the final part of menstrual shedding, but ongoing spotting can also follow hormonal contraception, ovulation, or irritation of the cervix. Chlamydia may present with bleeding between periods, discharge, pelvic pain, or pain during sex. Endometrial polyps and uterine fibroids can disturb the womb lining. Cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer may present with unusual bleeding, while womb cancer may cause abnormal bleeding, particularly after menopause. A symptom is not a diagnosis: a clinician needs the full pattern and examination.

Book a routine appointment if spotting continues beyond your expected period or returns across cycles. Note the colour, amount, timing, relation to sex, contraception, pregnancy possibility, and associated symptoms. Assessment may include a pregnancy test, pelvic examination, cervical screening review, infection testing, blood tests, or an ultrasound depending on your age and history. Use a pad or liner to observe the pattern, and avoid self-treating with leftover medicines.

Get urgent care for soaking protection quickly, faintness, severe or one-sided pelvic pain, fever, or weakness. Seek prompt review for bleeding after menopause, repeated bleeding after sex, or spotting with a positive pregnancy test. Urgency depends on the symptoms and pregnancy status, not on assuming the underlying cause.

What tests fit my bleeding pattern? Could contraception, infection, a polyp, or fibroid be involved? Is my cervical screening up to date, and what symptoms require faster review?