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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffOften, no cause can be found for blood in semen. When blood in semen has an identifiable cause, it is usually trauma or infection. With infection, blood in semen is usually accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as fever, genital or urinary pain, difficulty urinating, or blood in your urine.
Direct trauma
Semen consists of sperm and fluids released by the prostate and other glands. The fluids join the sperm as they pass through a series of tubes to the urethra for ejaculation. A number of things can break blood vessels along this route or along the urinary route to the urethra. Broken vessels then leak blood into the ejaculate, urine or both.
Possible causes of this bleeding include:
- Bladder stones
- Brachytherapy
- Interrupted sex
- Prolonged sexual abstinence
- Prostate biopsy
- Testicular trauma
- Vasectomy
- Vigorous sex
Other medical causes of blood in semen:
- Benign growths (cysts, polyps) in the bladder, urethra or prostate
- Bladder cancer
- Chlamydia
- Epididymitis
- Fragile blood vessels
- Genital herpes
- Gonorrhea
- Hemophilia
- Prostate cancer
- Prostate gland enlargement
- Prostatitis
- Testicular cancer
- Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
- Von Willebrand disease
- Warfarin side effects: Watch for interactions
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Stefanovic KP, et al. Evaluation and treatment of hematospermia. American Family Physician. 2009;80:1421.
- Torigian DA, et al. Hematospermia: Imaging findings. Abdominal Imaging. 2007;32:29.
- Leocadio DE, et al. Hematospermia: Etiological and management considerations. International Urology and Nephrology. 2009;41:77.
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