Spotting after sex every time: why, and when to test

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 7, 2026

Hi Aunt Vadge,

After I have sex with my boyfriend, I get spotting for a couple of days and then it goes away (I have sex about once a week). What does this mean?

Best,
Spotty

Dear Spotty,

Bleeding after sex is common and usually nothing sinister – but because it’s happening every time, it’s worth knowing which cause is yours, and one of them does mean a quick test.

The everyday reasons: friction, if you’re not quite aroused and wet enough before penetration, so the skin gets a few tiny tears (more lube and more warm-up sorts that out). Or the cervix being bumped – especially if you have cervical ectropion, where the delicate cells from inside the cervical canal sit out on the surface and bleed a little when touched.

That usually comes with extra discharge, and it’s harmless and very common. Where you are in your cycle matters too: your cervix sits lower and firmer around your period, higher and softer at ovulation, so deep sex is comfier mid-cycle.

The one I don’t want you to skip past, though: bleeding after sex is a classic sign of chlamydia (or other cervicitis), which inflames the cervix so it bleeds when touched – and it very often has no other symptoms at all.

So if there’s any chance of it, please get a simple STI screen. It’s easily treated, and it’s the reason recurring post-sex bleeding is always worth ruling in or out.

So try plenty of arousal and lube, and have a gentle feel for any sore spot – but because it keeps happening, the sensible move is a check-up. A quick look confirms ectropion (reassuring), rules out infection, and if you ever get pain with it too, excludes anything structural like a vaginal septum. Nothing to panic over – just don’t leave it uninvestigated.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.