Intermenstrual Vaginal Bleeding Due to Sertraline Treatment: A Case Report

Abstract

Sertraline and other serotonin reuptake inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders and depression. Hematological adverse effects related to sertraline are uncommon; most of the reported cases presented with vaginal bleeding, epistaxis, purpura, hematuria, and rectal bleeding. SSRIs may increase the risk of bleeding through different mechanisms. The most emphasized mechanism is lowering platelet aggregation by reducing serotonin reuptake in platelets. This report includes a case of intermenstrual vaginal bleeding due to the use of sertraline and a review of the relevant literature. We aimed to draw clinician’s attention to this side effect of SSRIs.