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Hello Aunt Vadge,
Recently my boyfriend cut me just outside the vaginal opening during sex. We checked to see if it was deep and thought it was just a light cut. But tonight, when I went to shower, I realised I was bleeding from inside my vagina – and I’m not due my period, because it came two weeks ago.
Now I’m worried, because I don’t know if I’m bleeding from the cut or from the pill I’m taking (the contraindications mention irregular periods).
We had sex on Friday the 13th, and today is Sunday the 15th. What should I do? Should I wait a little longer?
Thank you for your time,
Bleeding
Age: 18
Country: Portugal
Dear Bleeding,
You’re right to suspect breakthrough bleeding from your pill – that could well be it. The cut you mentioned was on your labia, outside the vagina, so it would be a bit odd for that to show up as bleeding from inside. That mismatch is a useful clue.
If you feel pain, you can gently feel around inside with clean fingers to see whether there’s a cut in there too (use a little vegetable oil as lube if you need to). If you can’t find a cut or any other source, it’s reasonable to assume it’s irregular menstrual bleeding.
For the labial cut itself, minor cuts and tears can be helped along with a vulva- and vagina-friendly cuts cream, and our guide on caring for cuts and tears covers the rest. Be gentle with the area while it heals.
If the bleeding seems to be coming from higher up, it’s most likely a side-effect of the pill. It often pays to shop around for the pill that suits your body best – every brand is made a little molecularly different so it can be patented, so each one behaves slightly differently in the body, and it can also take a few months to settle in. Have a look through our contraception information, and if the irregular bleeding is a nuisance, ask your doctor whether a better-fitting pill is available. Surprise spotting and ruined underwear are no fun, and you can probably do better.
For now, I’d wait and watch. But if the bleeding gets heavier, you’re in pain, or anything else seems off, see a doctor to be checked. If you’d like help getting to the bottom of it, you’re welcome to book an appointment with us.
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
