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

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Bleeding after hysteroscopy

22 March, 2005

Question:

I had a hysteroscopy done today. I was pretty sure it would not make me a niddah, the scope was 5 mm. I am on the pill and not due to get my period for at least a week. Since the procedure I have been bleeding pretty heavily, and I just wanted to double check if it would be considered dam niddah or not.


Answer:

For all procedures that enter the uterus, the size of the instrument that enters is also important. Instruments larger than a certain size render a woman niddah even if there is no bleeding. Opinions as to this size vary – Rav Henkin rules that an instrument with a diameter of 19mm or more would make a woman niddah, so this would not be a concern in your case.

Please ask your physician if he used a tenaculum – an instrument to grab the cervix – and if a biopsy was a done.  If a tenaculum was used, we can attribute the bleeding to the injury to the cervix (dam makkah) and you are not niddah. If a biopsy was done within the uterus, then there is a difference of opinion. The halachic position of this site is that this is also dam makkah. However, it should be noted that some authorities regard injury in the uterus as possible dam niddah.


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