Blood in semen can be scary. But the cause most often is not cancer. Blood in semen, also called hematospermia, most often goes away on its own.
Having recent prostate surgery or a prostate biopsy can cause blood in semen for several weeks after the procedure.
Most often, no cause can be found for blood in semen. Infection might be a cause. But infection is likely to have other symptoms. These may include pain while urinating or urinating more often.
A lot of blood in semen or blood that keeps coming back might be a warning sign for conditions such as cancer. But this is rare.
If you see blood in your semen, it's likely to clear up without treatment. However, it's a good idea to make an appointment with a healthcare professional. A physical exam and simple blood or urine tests are often all that is necessary to identify or rule out many causes, such as infections.
If you have certain risk factors and symptoms, you might need more testing to rule out a more serious condition. Call your healthcare professional about blood in semen if you:
- Have blood in semen that lasts longer than 3 to 4 weeks.
- Keep seeing blood in semen.
- Have other symptoms, such as pain while urinating or pain with ejaculation.
- Have other risk factors such as having a history of cancer, bleeding conditions or having recently had sex that puts you at risk of sexually transmitted infections.
Show References
- Weiss BD, et al. Hematospermia. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 26, 2024.
- AskMayoExpert. Hematospermia (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2023.
- Drury RH, et al. Hematospermia etiology, diagnosis, treatment and sexual ramifications: A narrative review. Sexual Medicine Reviews. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2021.07.004.
- Hematospermia. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/genitourinary-disorders/symptoms-of-genitourinary-disorders/hematospermia. Accessed March 26, 2024.
Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/blood-in-semen/basics/definition/SYM-20050603