People with vaginas do not always bleed during or after sex (sex: Different things people choose to do to actively express or enact sexuality and sexual feelings; often this involves genitals, but not always. ) .
But when they do bleed during or after sex and it’s not because of menses (menses: The flow during menstruation, composed mostly of endometrium, including blood. Sometimes flow contains portions of the endometrium as solid tissue, which is often confused with blood clots.) , then it’s due to some injury in the vagina (vagina: The internal passage leading from the opening of the vulva to the cervix of the uterus.) or vulva (vulva: The name for the external genitals of people assigned female at birth. The vulva includes the mons, external clitoris, inner and outer labia, fourchette and perineum.) . As well, some sexually transmitted infections (sexually transmitted infections: STIs: illness, infection and/or disease which is often or can be transmitted through sexual or other intimate contact, like HIV, Chlamydia or Herpes. Some people call STIs STDs.) – Chlamydia is a biggie for this – can cause bleeding with or after intercourse (intercourse: When people interlock their genitals and move together as feels good to them for the purpose of sexual stimulation and/or reproduction.) or other kinds of sex.
The vagina and vulva are delicate, yet resilient structure made of skin, mucous membranes, muscle and so forth. The lining of the vagina is very similar to the tissue that lines the inside of your mouth. It’s soft, squooshy, and it bleeds when it’s cut or roughly rubbed. During sex, the vaginal lining can get scratched or torn, particulatly when a person isn’t very aroused and lubricated or using an extra lubricant (lubricant: A fluid used in order to make kinds of sex (such as masturbation, vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse or manual sex) more pleasant and comfortable, and/or to help prevent condoms from breaking by decreasing friction.) as needed. As such, it can bleed. That’s why some people bleed during sex – not just vaginal intercourse (vaginal intercourse: When a penis or sex toy is inserted into and held by the vagina while partners move their bodies as feels good to them for the purpose of either sexual stimulation and/or reproduction.) either.
Manual sex or penetration with toys can cause similar abrasion. Then there’s the hymen (hymen: A thin membrane without nerve endings that most people with vaginas are born with that is just inside the vaginal opening.) , or vaginal corona (corona: A newer name for the hymen, a thin membrane without nerve endings that most people with vaginas are born with that is just inside the vaginal opening. ) . While most people don’t have much vaginal corona left by the time they have sex, the vaginal corona can get scratched or torn during manual sex (manual sex: Sometimes also called digital sex. Kinds of sex involving the hands and fingers to sexually stimulate the genitals or other parts of the body. Fingering, handjobs or “fisting” (deep manual sex) are some kinds of manual sex.) . This can also cause bleeding. And in especially traumatic or rough sex, people might end up with abrasions and cuts around other parts of the genitals (genitals: Body parts that are generally, culturally, scientifically or personally considered to be external sexual or reproductive organs.) , like the labia (labia: On the vulva, both inner (labia minora) and outer (labia majora) sets of skin with sensory nerve endings which surround the vaginal opening.) , perineum (perineum: The general region of the body between the anus and the testes or the anus and the vaginal opening. Some people call the perineum the “tain’t.”) and anus (anus: The external opening to the rectum, located between the buttocks.) . Likewise, all these parts can bleed when cut, too. All these cuts and abrasions? They’re simply injuries.
How do you avoid injuries during sex? Do it gently and at a comfortable pace. If anything hurts, stop and readjust till it’s comfortable. Use extra water-based lubricant; lube protects the genitals, and it lessens the risk of condom (condom: A thin sheath or tube of latex or another material, worn over the penis during sex to prevent or reduce the risk of pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections.) rupture.
And if you or your partner (partner: In a sexual context, a person with whom someone is having some kind of sex. The term “partner” can be used for all kinds of relationships, not just serious ones. “Partner” can also mean the person someone is with in a romantic or familial partnership.) continue to have bleeding despite taking precautions like only entering the vagina during high arousal (arousal: A state of sexual excitement and interest that sends messages to the brain which create physical changes and sensations, such as increased blood pressure, erection, lubrication, loosening of the vaginal or anal muscles, and increased physical sensitivity.) and using lubricant, you or she will want to check in with a sexual (sexual: About or relating in some way to sex or sexuality.) healthcare provider (healthcare provider: A qualified person to provide sound physical and/or mental healthcare, such as a doctor, nurse, clinician, counselor, medical assistant, midwife or other healthcare professional.) to find out (out: Short for ‘out of the closet’. When someone’s LGBTQ+ identity is known to other people.) what’s going on.
