women s health issues
Vaginal Bleeding
Key Points
During the childbearing years, the most common cause of abnormal vaginal bleeding is pregnancy. In women who are not pregnant, the most common cause is hormonal imbalance (ovulatory dysfunction), which can cause abnormal uterine bleeding. Abnormal uterine bleeding is related to changes in the hormonal control of the menstrual cycle that prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg. In children, the cause is usually a foreign object or an injury, but sometimes sexual abuse is the cause. In women of childbearing age, a pregnancy test is done even when women do not think they could be pregnant. If any vaginal bleeding occurs after menopause, an evaluation to rule out cancer is necessary. 