Do you have intermenstrual bleeding during your cycle? In most cases, the bleeding between periods is only temporary and harmless, but it can also indicate serious illnesses. Here you can find out the possible causes behind it.
Do you notice a bleed that occurs outside of your normal monthly menstrual period? Intermenstrual bleeding can be spotting or heavy additional bleeding. Bleeding may be light or heavy, lasting a few hours or a few days. The bleeding can have various causes and should be clarified by a doctor.
Especially if the bleeding between periods
- should be very strong or long-lasting,
- you have pain in your stomach
- feeling defeated or
- the bleeding is regular.
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Causes of intermenstrual bleeding
There are many different reasons why you have bleeding between periods. These are possible reasons:
hormonal reasons
- After stopping the birth control pill , your hormone balance has to level off again. During this time, cycle fluctuations can occur and spotting can occur. After the first three months, these should settle down again.
- Bleeding between periods can also occur at the beginning of taking hormonal contraceptives such as the pill or spiral.
- At the beginning of a pregnancy, around a third of pregnant women experience a short spotting. This is implantation bleeding. When a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the womb, small vessels can be damaged, which can lead to bright red bleeding.
- Women with luteal insufficiency have a shortened menstrual cycle, which can result in bleeding between periods due to the lack of progesterone.
Diseases such as inflammation and tumors
- Serious causes of intermenstrual bleeding are inflammation of the uterus (endometritis) and vagina (colpititis). With endometritis, there are other symptoms such as abdominal pain and an unpleasant-smelling discharge. With vaginitis, women feel a burning pain or itching in the vagina.
- Bleeding between periods can be the first sign of both benign and malignant tumors such as myomas in the uterus. In particular, bleeding that occurs after menopause is a warning sign and should be clarified by a doctor as soon as possible.
menopause
Bleeding between periods can also be a sign of menopause. During this time, the production of female sex hormones decreases. As a result, cycles become more irregular and bleeding between periods can occur.
pregnancy
Bleeding between periods during pregnancy is not a good sign for most women. However, in most cases, bleeding occurs due to hormonal changes. However, if there is also cramping pain or if the bleeding is particularly heavy, you should consult a doctor immediately, as there is a risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
After intercourse
After particularly intensive sexual intercourse, women can also have bleeding between periods, since the friction can irritate the vessels of the vaginal mucosa, which is well supplied with blood, and bleed. If you have regular intermenstrual bleeding after intercourse, you should seek medical advice. Changes in the cervix such as polyps may be responsible.
