Post coital bleeding
Information for patients Gynaecology You have been asked to attend the post-coital bleeding (PCB) clinic by your GP, practice nurse or clinic. This clinic is for problems relating to the cervix (the opening between the vagina and the womb) which is not associated with your smear test results. This can be post-coital bleeding (PCB), polyps on the cervix, irregular bleeding, heavy discharge, an unusual appearance of your cervix and sometimes to take your routine smear test if it cannot be performed in the surgery.
What is post-coital bleeding (PCB)? PCB is vaginal bleeding which happens during or immediately after sexual intercourse, which is not related to your period.
What causes PCB? Often there is no explanation why you bleed after sexual intercourse. However it can be due to: • an infection • polyps, non-cancerous growths in the uterus (womb) or on the cervix (neck of the womb) • vaginal dryness • vaginal trauma • cervical ectropion (normal and harmless cells that line the inside of the cervical canal are found on the outside of the cervix) • abnormal cells on the cervix • cervical or vaginal cancer (very rare)
Why have I been referred to the hospital? Any bleeding which is not related to a period should be investigated. Your GP will be able to carry out some tests. If the bleeding continues or you are worried, you can be seen in the Gynaecology Outpatient Department for further testing.
What can I expect when I attend the clinic? The doctor or specialist nurse will ask you some general questions about your health and some more specific questions about the bleeding.
PD8022-PIL3363 v4 Issue Date: August 2021. Review Date: August 2024 It would be extremely helpful if you could provide the date of your last menstrual period, what contraception method you use, details of any allergies, and the names of any medication that you are taking. You will be taken to a separate and private room to undress. We will ask you to remove your clothes from the waist down and to cover yourself with a sheet. You will then lie on a special couch which has supports for your legs. The doctor or specialist nurse will gently insert a speculum into the vagina, which is the same instrument used to perform your cervical screening test (smear). During the speculum examination, the doctor or specialist nurse may need to take a further cervical sample or swabs. They may also need to take a small biopsy (sample of tissue) from the cervix or from inside your uterus. The doctor or specialist nurse may also use a colposcope, which is an instrument that magnifies the cervix and allows the cervix to be seen more closely. It does not enter the vagina. Following the examination, the doctor or specialist nurse may arrange an ultrasound scan.
How do I get my results and how long will this take? We will write to you and your GP once we have the results. The results of all the tests are usually ready within 3 weeks. We will send you a follow up appointment and information if any further treatment is required. If you have an infection we will ask you to collect a prescription for antibiotics from your GP. We may refer you to the Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic.
Is there anything I can do to help myself? There is usually nothing you can do to stop the bleeding. It is important that you have your cervical screening test when they are due and have sexual health screening for infections as required.
Is there anything to look out for when I go home? This will depend on any tests performed during the examination. Your doctor or specialist nurse will discuss this with you.
Who can I contact if I have any questions? If you need any further information then please do not hesitate to contact: • Gynaecology Outpatient Department: 0114 226 8441
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PD8022-PIL3363 v4 Issue Date: August 2021. Review Date: August 2024