Conversion while spotting

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April 30, 2004

Question

I have a student who is scheduled to go to mikvah on Wednesday. She has been menopausal for a few years (with no blood) and is now having pretty much constant spotting and bleeding. She is working on balancing things out with hormones with her doctor, but so far nothing makes the bleeding stop.
We have two questions:
Can she go to mikvah for conversion even if she is bleeding (since it is non-menstrual)?
If not, does she have to wait 7 additional days or can she go as soon as she is not bleeding?
Thank you for your consideration.

Answer

A woman can become niddah from uterine bleeding even if it is not menstrual, so that factor does not affect this case.
However, mikveh use for conversion can take place while a woman is spotting. Her spotting should not preclude her immersion.
If she is bleeding heavily, and there are sanitary concerns, then arrangements can be made for the water to be changed after her immersion. If the bleeding is so heavy that she would be embarrassed, then common sense should be used in scheduling the immersion for a time when the bleeding is lighter.

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