Educational content for students. Not medical or coding advice. Having symptoms? See the patient guide.
Emergency or urgent care
- Soaking a pad or tampon every hour for more than 2 hours with dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath or chest pain: seek emergency care [ACOG].
- A missed period plus unusual bleeding plus pain anywhere in your tummy or pelvis: possible ectopic pregnancy, so get help urgently [NHS] [NHS].
- Heavy bleeding in a known pregnancy.
Book an appointment
- Any bleeding between periods or after sex [NHS].
- Any bleeding after menopause, even once or a small amount [NHS].
- Periods lasting longer than 7 days, cycles shorter than 21 or longer than 35 days, or no period for 3–6 months [ACOG] [NHS].
- Heavy periods affecting daily life [NHS].
- Feeling tired or weak, which can be signs of anemia from blood loss [Cleveland Clinic].
Who to see
A primary care clinician, gynecologist (ob-gyn) or sexual health clinic [NHS].
Sources
- Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (FAQ095) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, reviewed Aug 2025
- Vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex NHS, reviewed Aug 2024
- Ectopic pregnancy NHS
- Postmenopausal bleeding NHS
- Irregular periods NHS
- Heavy periods NHS
- Menometrorrhagia (Abnormal Uterine Bleeding) Cleveland Clinic Health Library, Nov 2024
We link to primary medical sources so you can check our work. See the editorial policy and the full reference list.