Is vaginal bleeding after hysterectomy common? How long should it last?

Answer From Tatnai Burnett, M.D.

Hysterectomy is a type of surgery that removes the uterus. You may have bloody vaginal discharge for several days to several weeks after a hysterectomy. This happens as the stitches, also called sutures, dissolve and the tissues heal. Plan to wear sanitary pads during that time.

Vaginal bleeding after hysterectomy should be light. You may notice some spotting or a pink discharge. Contact your care team if bleeding after hysterectomy is as heavy as a menstrual period or if it has a bad smell. Also, follow up with your care team if the bleeding lasts longer than six weeks.

With

Tatnai Burnett, M.D.

Women’s health topics - straight to your inbox

Get the latest information from our Mayo Clinic experts on women’s health topics, serious and complex conditions, wellness and more. Click to view a preview and subscribe below.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

June 01, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Beating Ovarian Cancer
  2. CA 125 test: A screening test for ovarian cancer?
  3. Ovarian cancer
  4. Ovarian cancer: Still possible after hysterectomy?
  5. Pap test: Can it detect ovarian cancer?
  6. Vaginal hysterectomy