What may increase your risk for a problem from vaginal bleeding?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.
Conditions
- Younger than age 10
- Have completed menopause
- Pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy may indicate a serious problem, such as an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, bleeding may indicate a problem with the placenta.
- Intrauterine device (IUD) in place
- A recent abnormal Pap test
- Recent gynecologic procedures or surgery
- History of surgery to remove the spleen
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Engaging in high-risk sexual behaviours
Medicines
- Anticoagulant medicines such as ASA, Coumadin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antipsychotics
- Anti-seizure medicines, such as Tegretol or Depakote
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Dilantin
- Hormonal medicines, including:
- Birth control pills and Depo-Provera injections
- Contraceptive implants, such as the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) Mirena
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy), such as Cytoxan or tamoxifen
- Radiation therapy
- Thyroid medicine, such as Synthroid or Levothroid
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Diseases
- Adrenal disease, such as Addison's disease or Cushing's disease
- Bleeding disorders, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), hemophilia, or von Willebrand's disease
- Cancer of the cervix, uterus, or vagina
- Current and prior pelvic infections (pelvic inflammatory disease)
- Diabetes
- Endometriosis
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis)
- Kidney failure
- Leukemia
- Liver disease
- Ovarian cysts
- Pituitary disease
- Sickle cell disease
- Thyroid disease
- Uterine fibroids
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: August 29, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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