Abnormal vaginal bleeding is any vaginal bleeding unrelated to normal menstruation. This type of bleeding may include spotting of small amounts of blood between periods — often seen on toilet tissue after wiping — or extremely heavy periods in which you soak a pad or tampon every one to two hours for two or more hours.
Normal vaginal bleeding, or menstruation, occurs every 21 to 35 days when the uterus sheds its lining, marking the start of a new reproductive cycle. A menstrual period may last for just a few days or more than a week. Your flow may be heavy or light and still considered normal. Cycles tend to be longer before age 20 and after age 40, and your flow may be heavier at those ages.
Vaginal bleeding
Possible causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding include:
- Adenomyosis
- Celiac disease
- Cervical cancer
- Cervical polyps, noncancerous (benign) growths on your cervix
- Chlamydia
- Problems with the cervix, such as a cervical infection, inflamed cervix or growths on the cervix
- Endometrial cancer
- Endometrial hyperplasia
- Endrometrial polyps
- Endometritis
- Fluctuating hormone levels
- Gonorrhea
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Intrauterine contraceptive device
- Menorrhagia
- Miscarriage (before the 20th week) or intrauterine fetal death
- Ovarian cancer
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Perimenopause
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Pregnancy
- Random ovulatory cycles
- Severe systemic disease, such as kidney or liver disease
- Sexual abuse
- Sexual intercourse
- Stopping birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy (withdrawal bleeding)
- Tamoxifen side effect
- Thrombocytopenia
- Uterine fibroids
- Uterine polyps
- Uterine sarcoma
- Vaginal atrophy
- Vaginal cancer
- Vaginal or cervical trauma
- Vaginitis
- Von Willebrand disease (and other blood clotting disorders)
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
Source: mayoclinic.org