I am undergoing an IVF cycle and it looks like the egg retrieval procedure may fall out on the morning before I am supposed to go to the mikva. This poses several issues. Firstly, the procedure, in which a needle under ultrasound guidance is placed through the wall of the vagina to aspirate follicles from the ovary, creates a small amount of vaginal bleeding. At no time do any of the instruments enter the uterus or the cervix (I am a medical student and in addition to my own previous procedures I have seen many done on others and I know this to be absolutely true). The bleeding comes directly from the wall of the vagina itself. It is minimal and typically lasts a day or two. As far as I can tell, this should constitute a “makkah ha yadua sh’motzi dam” and should not render me a niddah. However, would such a makkah preclude tevilah? As far as I know, intercourse would be prohibited with such a makkah but if tevilah is permitted than at least physical contact would be permissible.

If tevilah is permitted, I would have to do one final bedikah in the morning before the procedure. I believe it would be preferable to do the bathing before the procedure as well, since in theory physicians do not like their patients to bathe/swim following a procedure because of the increased risk of infection. However, I have discussed tevilah with my doctor and she thinks that for a quick dunk in the mikvah the risk is likely very small but a longer bath would certainly raise the risk of infection at least a little bit.

If tevilah with a makkah ha yadua sh’motzi dam is not permitted I would have to wait until the bleeding subsided. Would I need to perform another bedika to prove that the bleeding has stopped. Could I rely on the kulah to use a shower as chafifah to eliminate the risk of bathing after the procedure?

Thank you.