Premenarchal Bleeding
Premenarchal bleeding is vaginal bleeding that occurs before the age that a girl would typically start their period. While uncommon, the condition can be a sign of an underlying issue.
What is premenarchal bleeding?
Premenarchal bleeding is vaginal bleeding that happens before the typical age when menstruation begins (usually between the ages of 9 and 15) and before a girl's first menstrual period (menarche).
While premenarchal bleeding is uncommon, it can be a sign of a serious issue, so it’s important to seek advice if your child has symptoms.
At Welbeck, our consultants currently diagnose and treat premenarchal bleeding in children and young people aged 12 to 18.
More information
The most common symptom of premenarchal bleeding is bleeding from the vagina. This can be light or heavy and may vary in length from a few days to weeks.
Other symptoms may include:
pain or cramping in the abdominal area, similar to period pains
unusual vaginal discharge, which may vary in consistency or colour
Vaginal bleeding in young girls can have many causes which need to be carefully diagnosed.
Causes may include:
trauma or injury caused by an accident, vigorous activity, a foreign body or sexual abuse
infections such as vulvovaginitis or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
hormonal imbalances, which may be caused by irregular hormonal cycles before the body settles into a regular pattern of menstruation
thyroid or other endocrine system issues, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
blood clotting disorders, such as thrombocytopenia
growths such as ovarian cysts or uterine polyps
urethral prolapse
Our team will talk to you and your child about your child's medical history, the pattern of bleeding and any specific symptoms and will also carry out a physical examination.
Further diagnostic tests may include:
blood tests
urinalysis to check the urine for signs of infection and other issues
urine sample collection for laboratory testing
vaginal swabs
ultrasound
CT or MRI scans
Our team will determine the best approach to treatment depending on the underlying cause of the premenarchal bleeding.
At Welbeck, London’s leading paediatric gynaecologists use the latest innovations in healthcare to accurately diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions in our world-class outpatient centre. Your child will receive the best possible care in a welcoming and supportive environment where you both feel listened to.
With access to colleagues across other specialities, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if needed to ensure your child receives the best possible treatment as quickly as possible, all under one roof.
Appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments. If preferred, initial and follow-up appointments can sometimes be done remotely via video call.
Your child’s health is of utmost importance to us, so we strive to offer same-day and next-day appointments whenever possible.
Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance for your child, their treatment at Welbeck can begin once your provider has confirmed authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.
Get in touch today to book an appointment.
We are able to offer appointments to referred paediatric patients aged 12-18. For full information on our paediatrics service, please visit our main Paediatrics page.
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Frequently asked questions
No, premenarchal bleeding is not considered normal, but it may not always be serious. It’s important to seek advice to find out the cause of the bleeding.
Any unexplained bleeding should be checked by a doctor. This is especially important if your child’s bleeding is ongoing, heavy or is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, fever or discharge.
Yes, some girls may experience a small amount of bleeding as their body prepares for puberty. This is often anovulatory bleeding (bleeding without ovulation) and may not necessarily indicate the start of full menstrual cycles.
Yes, it’s important to find out the cause of any bleeding in case it’s a sign of an underlying condition.