Thank you for reaching out to us.

Most women using combination birth control pills experience some bleeding each cycle after stopping the active pills. Technically, this isn't a menstrual period but withdrawal bleeding resulting from the reduction in hormone levels.

As you described, sometimes women don't experience any bleeding on a given cycle, and sometimes the withdrawal bleeding is very light.

Halachically, withdrawal bleeding is assessed the same way as any other uterine bleeding. If it heavy enough to be considered a flow of blood, it would make you niddah. As a rule of thumb, bleeding too heavy to be contained by a single light pantyliner over the course of an entire day is considered a flow.

Bleeding that is lighter than that is halachically considered staining. This is true whether it happens every month (like withdrawal bleeding) or whether it is irregular (like what you are experiencing now). You can take precautions, such as wearing colored underwear and waiting before wiping, to avoid becoming niddah from staining.

Bleeding accompanied by a halachically recognized hargashah (sensation) could make you niddah even if it is very light. But this is rare (learn more here).

Regarding the spotting you describe currently – a stain smaller than a dime on underwear does not make you niddah. A stain larger than a dime on white underwear could make you niddah, though, so we recommend wearing colored underwear or disposable pantyliners.

For a detailed explanation of these halachot and of recommended precautions, please see our pages on stains and toilet paper.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

This response was updated on 11 November, 2025.