Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Miscarriage after IVF

14 February, 2005
Question:

After having undergone IVF last month, it was successful and I became pregnant, however, I lost the baby (miscarriage) about 4 days ago. (I was 4 weeks pregnant). I now have heavy bleeding and a lot of pain. How do the rules of Niddah apply towards a miscarriage? Should I treat this as if it were a normal menstrual cycle? I know I’ll be bleeding for more than that, they say sometimes up to two weeks.

Your help and support in this matter are greatly appreciated.


Answer:

We are sorry to hear of your miscarriage and the pain that you are currently experiencing.

Halachically, since you carried the embryo for less than forty days, your bleeding is treated as a long period. It is hard to know how long it will last. Please review the laws of staining, as detailed here, so that you do not prolong the time spent in niddah unnecessarily. If continued staining makes it difficult to complete the shivah neki’im, please get back to us or a local halachic authority for further guidance.

We understand that at a challenging time like this, being a niddah for a prolonged period of time can be particularly difficult. We hope that you and your husband can work together to find ways to support each other emotionally over this time.

You may also find it helpful to have a personal consultation with a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a Yoetzet Halacha who has completed additional specialized training in this area. Consultations are free and can take place in person, by phone, or via internet conference.

This response was updated on 14 April, 2021.

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